Insanity in Love
by Erin Salvatore
Summary: AU/AH. Elena Gilbert is a psychiatrist who takes a job at the Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital due to a lack of business at her practice. She is then assigned to Damon Salvatore, who has been in the facility for the past three years. Things then get complicated when they fall for one another.
1. Chapter 1

**Insanity in Love**

**by Erin Salvatore**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Well, guys, guess what? My muse has made me come up with yet another idea for an AU/AH Delena story. The plot is this: Elena Gilbert is a psychiatrist who gets hired at the Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital and is assigned to Damon Salvatore, who was put in the facility by his father after he nearly killed both his brother and himself. Things get complicated when they fall for each other.**_

_**Don't ask, just take it as it's written.**_

**Chapter 1**

_Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital, Mystic Falls, Virginia_

Elena Gilbert sighed as she walked through the double doors of the Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital. The director of the facility, Klaus Mikaelson, had contacted her office recently and told her that they had been looking for a new psychiatrist, having lost their current one two years earlier, although he didn't go into specifics as to what happened to her. Of course, Elena didn't dare ask, just told him that she would gladly take the job, since she hadn't had any new patients in over a year.

As she made her way to Klaus' office for her preliminary meeting, Elena couldn't help but think that something was strange about this. It wasn't that she didn't like new opportunities, which she did, but why she hadn't been considered previously was beyond her comprehension. She told herself not to think about it too much, since this was a new challenge for her, and it could possibly lead to something else down the road.

_Think of what this will do for your reputation, _she thought. _If you work for a place like this, you're sure to get referrals for your practice. Provided that the referrals aren't actually people that served time here. Then again, this place does remind me of the juvenile detention hall that I spent time in as a teenager, only a little more intense._

It wasn't long until Elena reached Klaus' office, where she saw him with a blonde woman who was heavily pregnant. Did he have an appointment with someone else and didn't bother to tell her?

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't realize that you had another appointment."

She went to leave, but Klaus stopped her, saying, "No, Elena, stay. This is my wife, Caroline. She just came by to bring me my lunch. Apparently, I forgot to take it with me when I left the house this morning."

The blonde, named Caroline, turned around and smiled at Elena. "Hello. You must be the new psychiatrist that Klaus said he was hiring."

Elena returned her smile. "Guilty as charged. I'm Dr. Gilbert, but you can call me Elena. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Mikaelson."

Caroline smiled again. "Please, don't be so formal. Call me Caroline. In any case, it was lovely to have met you." She then turned to her husband. "I'll see you later, Klaus. Or will you be working late?"

"No, darling, I'll be home early," said Klaus. "I know that we have Lamaze class tonight and disappointing you is the last thing I'd ever do to you." He kissed her. "Thank you for bringing me my lunch."

Caroline smiled against his lips and returned his kiss. "Anything for you, baby." She kissed him again and before she walked out the door, she looked at Elena and said, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Elena. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

Elena nodded and waited for Caroline to leave before saying to Klaus, "Your wife is very charming, Klaus. You two make a great couple."

Klaus smiled at her. "Thank you, Elena." He cleared his throat. "Of course, the real reason you're here wasn't to meet my lovely bride. You're here to start your new job, right?"

Elena nodded. "That's right."

Klaus smiled again. "Excellent." He went over to the filing cabinet near his desk, pulled out a file, and handed it to her. "This is the inmate that you're being assigned to. Now, normally, I wouldn't assign him to someone who just started, but..."

Elena looked at the file and blinked as she looked at the name. "Damon Salvatore? This is the one you're assigning to me? I mean, don't get me wrong, Klaus, I appreciate challenges, but this guy may not like talking to someone like me."

"He doesn't like talking to _anyone_, actually, not even to me," said Klaus. "But, I think that if anyone can get him to open up, it'll be you, Elena. One look at you, and he'll be more than willing to talk."

"How long has he been here?"

"He was brought here when he was twenty-five, so he's been with us for about three years now."

Elena blinked again. Was he serious? This Damon Salvatore had been an inmate here for three years and he hadn't spoken to anyone in that interim? She had a hard time believing that. However, Elena wasn't the kind of woman that backed down from anything. Plus, it seemed that Klaus had confidence that she'd be able to get through to Damon.

"All right, Klaus, I'll take him on," she said. "I don't expect any miracles, but I'll do what I can."

"That's the spirit," said Klaus. "I like a woman who isn't afraid to be adventurous." He cleared his throat again. "Now, if you'll follow me, I'll take you to Damon's room. He should be there now, because the inmates just had their medication an hour ago."

Elena said nothing, just followed Klaus out of his office, right to another set of double doors that led to a corridor with rooms on either side. It was also painted a greyish white color, which was pretty dull compared to the floral patterns she had seen on the walls in the lobby. Then again, she supposed that whoever built this place meant for it to be that way. After all, this was a place to rehabilitate people who weren't mentally sound, and Elena doubted that floral patterns were appropriate.

After what seemed like forever, they reached their destination, number 864. Klaus then used a key card and when the green light flashed, he walked in, followed by Elena. When they walked in, they saw a young man sitting on the bed, a book in his hand. Elena wasn't sure he was reading, but it looked interesting from the way he had practially buried his nose in it. She also noticed that he was quite handsome, with short, shiny black hair that seemed to shimmer under the light fixture in the room, icy blue eyes that would make any woman melt upon looking at them, a body that was practically being hugged by the white uniform he was wearing, and lips that looked like they were ideal for kissing and nibbling.

No sooner did Klaus and Elena enter the room than he looked up from his reading, a smirk on his face. Of course, Elena couldn't tell if the smirk was for her benefit, or he always did that.

"Damon, I brought someone for you," said Klaus. "This is Dr. Gilbert, but you call her Elena." He looked at Elena again. "Elena, this is Damon Salvatore."

Damon tilted his head in curiosity at Elena. Shit, she was definitely more beautiful than the last psychiatrist had been, that was sure, with long, dark brown hair that he wanted run his fingers through, sensuous brown eyes that were too beautiful to be hidden by the glasses she was wearing, a body that he imagined himself caressing as he had hot, passionate, primal sex with her, and lips that just begged him to kiss them.

After a few minutes, Klaus cleared his throat and said, "I'll leave you two alone then." Before he walked out, he said to Elena, "When you're done, just press the button on the wall and a guard will come for you."

Elena nodded and watched as Klaus left the room, the door shutting behind him. Once he was gone, Elena looked at Damon again, grabbed a chair, and sat down. There was then a silence between them, and then, Damon scoffed and spoke.

"I don't know who's crazier, me or Klaus."

Elena raised an eyebrow at his statement. "And why is that, Damon?"

Damon smiled at her. "For one thing, you're too nice of a girl to be in a place like this, and around guys like me. There are guys here who, if given the chance, will rape you, murder you, or both."

Seeing the look on her face, he added, "Relax, you're in no danger with me. I wouldn't dream of doing that to you. Unlike those other pigs that I'm forced to be in here with, I believe that a woman should be loved, worshipped, and treated with respect. In fact, I hate men who make women feel inferior. If you ask me, men like that should be shot and then hung from the ceiling by their balls."

Elena smiled. At least Damon had a moral code. "That's good to know." She cleared her throat. "Now, I know that this is a rather touchy subject with you and I'll understand if you don't want to discuss it, but why were you put here? I mean, you don't like you belong in a psychiatric hospital."

Damon's smile faded. "Why? It's in my file."

"I'd rather hear it from you," said Elena. "Files tend to not be reliable sometimes."

Damon sighed. "Well, I'm not here by choice, just so you know. I'm here because of my father. He had me locked in here because...well, three years ago, I had a bad nervous breakdown." He paused for a second and then continued, "My brother tried to calm me down, but I wouldn't listen. I then locked us both in my room, my father's gun in my hand, threatening to kill him and then myself. It took Stefan several hours to talk me out of it."

"Did it work?"

"We're both alive, aren't we?"

"Damon, you don't have to be like that, I was only asking a question," said Elena. "What happened after he succeeded in talking you out of what you were about to do?"

"The cops came and arrested me," said Damon. "The case was taken to trial, and I was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. However, my father wouldn't have it, because he thought I would do the same thing again, and had me placed in this hell hole, where I'm forced to take medication every day and guarded like some kind of criminal."

"What about your mother?" said Elena. "What does she think about this?"

"She doesn't think I deserve to be here," said Damon. "In fact, she's working on a way to get me out of here. In spite of what my father thinks, she refuses to lose faith." He smiled. "She comes to see me and lets me know that she loves me." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden angel charm and showed it to Elena. "And gave me this."

Elena looked at it and smiled. "It's beautiful."

"She calls me her 'angel boy,'" said Damon. "I keep it with me to remind myself that at least I have someone who believes in me."

"And when was the last time she visited?"

"About a week ago," said Damon. "God, I miss her so much. I also hope that Stefan doesn't hate me."

Elena's heart went out to Damon. He seemed like such a good man who really didn't deserve what was dealt to him. She could just imagine the pain his mother was going through right now, especially since she was fighting so hard to get her son released from this hell he was thrown into.

When their time was up, Elena got up from her chair and went to the intercom to alert the guard that she was finished. As she waited for him, she looked at Damon and smiled.

"I'll do what I can to help you, Damon," she said. "Like your mother, I believe you don't deserve to be here. It won't be easy, but I promise that I'll get you out."

Damon smiled back. "I appreciate it, Elena. I look forward to seeing you again."

"Oh, you will," said Elena. "Since you're the one I'm assigned to, you'll be seeing me every day."

No sooner did she say that than the guard came and opened the door. Elena gave Damon one last look and then walked out, the door closing behind her. Damon maintained his smile as he watched her go. Although he had only just met her, he was already starting to feel something between them. Elena was more than just a psychiatrist to him. No, she was special, and even though he knew it was risky, he would prove to her just how special she was to him.

_**Note: Yeah, here we go, the result of a very weird imagination. Don't worry, Delena faithful, I plan to have romance in here as the story progresses. For now, I wanted to have our leads meet and build up to the romance.**_

_**What do you think? Reviews are love!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena arrives at Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital to begin her new job, and is introduced to Damon, the inmate she has been assigned to.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews, guys! You're awesome, and I appreciate the feedback!**_

_Elena's Apartment – That Night..._

_Candles were strewn about the room, illuminating it with their pure light. In the center of the room, Elena sat on her knees on the floor, dressed in a blood red silk nightie that had a deep V neck, leaving nothing to the imagination. Her long, dark brown hair was in a French braid down her back and she was blindfolded. For what purpose, Elena didn't quite know, but she had a feeling that she was going to find out whether she was ready to know or not._

_At that moment, the door to the room opened and Elena felt her heart hammer as she heard footsteps approaching her. Great, who could this be?_

"_You ready to have a little fun, Elena?"_

_A soft, velvety voice made a shiver go up her spine. She knew that voice from anywhere._

"_Damon?"_

_Damon smiled as he helped her to her feet. "Yes, angel, it's me."_

"_Where are we?" said Elena. "And why am I blindfolded?"_

_Damon laughed softly and kissed her neck. "To answer your first question, this a special playroom that I had installed just for us. To answer your second question, I didn't want to spoil the surprise."_

_Elena's heart skipped several beats. Special playroom? What was he up to? Before she could utter so much as a sound, she felt him untie the blindfold from around her eyes and she blinked as her vision cleared. She then saw that he wasn't lying, this actually was a playroom, filled with instruments that were designed especially for sexual pleasure._

_Taking advantage of her silence, Damon turned her around in his arms, blue eyes meeting brown before he leaned in and kissed her. Elena moaned against his mouth as she returned his kiss, running her fingers across his chest. He was shirtless and wore a pair of faded dark blue jeans. No doubt about it, he planned this and fully intended on pleasuring her._

_As they continued to kiss, Damon gently ran his hands up and down Elena's body, removing the nightie before picking her up bridal style and carrying her over to one of the instruments in the playroom, laying her down on top of it, lifting her arms and fastening them to it using leather straps. Elena pulled away from his lips and saw what he had done._

"_What's going on, Damon? Why am I tied down?"_

_Damon gently placed his finger on her lips. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. This is part of the experience." He kissed her hotly before running his hand down to her legs, spreading them apart gently before sticking his fingers into her clit to heighten her pleasure and take some for himself._

_Elena let out a muffled scream against his lips, wanting to touch him, but because her arms were tied, she couldn't. Damon smiled as he then removed his fingers from her clit, licking them and savoring her juices. She was ready, more than ready. A shiver going up his spine, Damon removed his jeans and boxers, driving his throbbing cock into her core, groaning at how hot and tight she was._

Elena gasped as she sat up in bed, panting as she reached over and turned on the light. It had all been a dream, and yet, it as too real, and about Damon. What the hell was wrong with her, having a sex dream about a man she barely knew?

"It's got to be his eyes," she said to herself. "Those eyes can make any woman have a fantasy like that. Damn it, I just had to have the world's most desirable man as my patient, didn't I? I wonder if Klaus had this all planned when he hired me."

Shaking her head, Elena decided not to dwell on it. She then got out of bed and went to the kitchen to have some warm milk to calm her nerves, knowing that it probably wouldn't help because she would be going back to the facility to continue her sessions with Damon. Great, this was going to be interesting, especially with what had gone on in her dream.

_**Note: I know this chapter is short, but it's an update. In case you're wondering, I kind of borrowed some elements from "Fifty Shades of Grey" for Elena's dream. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena has a steamy dream about Damon.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital – Next Day..._

Elena sighed as she walked into the building. She was still pretty troubled about the dream she had, and wondered why she even had it. True, Damon was handsome, and any woman worth her salt would sell her soul to devil for a chance with him, but to have a sex dream about him after being in his presence for an hour? That was just...too frightening for words, and Elena knew that this was going to be a long day.

As she neared the reception desk, Elena saw the guard she had met yesterday, Brady, who gave her a warm smile.

"Hello, Dr. Gilbert," he said. "Here for your session with Damon?"

Elena nodded. "Yes, Brady, I am." _Even though I'm not exactly looking forward to it after what I experienced in that dream, _her thoughts added.

Brady nodded back. "Follow me. You're going to be meeting with him in the rec room today."

Elena blinked. "The rec room? Why?"

"Not sure," said Brady. "But, that's where you two are going to be meeting."

Even though this was no doubt puzzling, Elena decided to let it go and followed Brady down a corridor that led to what looked like a cafeteria, but instead of lunch tables, there was a ping pong table, a couch in front a TV that looked like it was from the late 1980s, early 1990s, easels with big drawing pads on them that had recent artwork from the other inmates, and other such things that one would find in a rec room.

Damon was laying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling and pretending to count the dots on the tiles. When he saw Elena and Brady coming toward him, he immediately sat up. A smile appeared on his face at the sight of Elena. She was definitely more beautiful today than she was yesterday, if that was even possible.

Brady stopped walking and said, "I'll be just outside. Call me when you're done and I'll escort you out."

Elena said nothing, just nodded and watched as he turned and walked out of the room, leaving her and Damon alone. Her heart pounding, she grabbed a nearby chair and sat down, after which she dropped her pad on the floor.

"Shit, I'm such a klutz today!"

Damon got up from where he was sitting. "I'll get it for you."

"Damon, no, sit down," said Elena. "I know you want to help me, but really, I can pick up my own pen and pad."

However, Damon ignored her and went to get them anyway, Elena doing the same. She reached for them, but Damon beat her to it. For the next minute or two, there was silence as they looked at each other, blue eyes meeting brown. Elena's heart hammered in her chest as she saw just how close they were. Just another inch or two and...

"You are a stubborn woman, Elena Gilbert," said Damon. "Can't even give a guy a chance to help you." He picked up the pen and pad, handing them to her. "Here you go." He noticed how nervous she was. "Are you okay? You look like you saw something that scared the shit out of you."

Elena took the pen and pad from him, clearing her throat. "Actually, Damon, I'm a little rattled today. I just...didn't sleep too good last night."

"I know how that feels," said Damon. "I have a hard time sleeping too some nights." He raised a curious eyebrow. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"I thought I was the therapist here?"

"That's true, but I thought we could make this a two way street, you know?" said Damon. "You help me, and I help you in return." He slowly got to his feet, helping Elena up as well. "Wouldn't you to lose your balance, right?"

Elena smiled. She had to admit, Damon sure knew how to be courteous, especially with women. Must have had something to do with being close with his mother. Clearing her throat again, she stepped away from him and sat in her chair, Damon going back to the couch half a beat later. As she watched him, Elena's mind wandered back to the dream, and she trembled as she remembered how his touch felt. Shit, and it didn't help the fact that his eyes, those icy orbs of blue flame, were piercing through to her soul.

"Care to tell me why you had a hard time sleeping last night?"

Damon's question brought Elena back to reality and she replied, "I had this really weird dream and for the life of me, I don't know why."

"A dream, you say?" said Damon. "About what, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oddly enough, it was about you."

Damon blinked. _That's_ why she was acting like this? She had a dream about him? Now, this was getting interesting. "You had a dream about me? What kind of dream?"

"It was just a dream, Damon," said Elena. "Nothing special, really."

"No, don't keep me in suspense," said Damon. "I want to know. What kind of dream did you have about me?"

Elena felt her cheeks burn. Did she dare tell him? She didn't want him to get the wrong impression, but then again, he seemed really interested in what her dream was about. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair and decided not to fight it.

"It was a...sex dream."

"Really?" said Damon. "It must have been pretty steamy, if you're having a hard time looking at me without having flashes from the dream." He ran a hand through his own hair. "I'm sorry, Elena, I didn't mean to make you tell me."

"No, Damon, it's okay," said Elena. "You were concerned and you wanted to know, and I appreciate it." She carefully took his free hand in hers. "You're a sweet man, Damon."

Damon felt her take his hand and his heart skipped several beats. Then, before he could stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her, caressing her cheek with the hand he had run through his hair earlier. After the initial shock wore off, Elena returned his kiss. She knew she shouldn't be enjoying this, but she was. His lips tasted so hot and delicious, like chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven.

However, before things got too intense, Elena forced herself to pull away, breaking the kiss, even though part of her was regretting it, because it had felt so good.

Damon looked at her, his blue eyes twinkling. "What's the matter?"

"I just...I appreciate the kiss and everything, but really, I'm not looking for a relationship right now," said Elena. "Besides, it's kind of...you know, unethical."

"I don't care," said Damon. "Elena, you have no idea just what kind of an effect you've had on me since you walked into my room yesterday. You make me want to fight for my freedom even more than I've been for the past three years." He squeezed her hand. "I have never felt this way about anyone in a long time, and when I get out of here, I'm going to show you just how much you mean to me."

Elena looked down and noticed that he was still holding her hand and pulled it out of his hold. Her heart hammering, she gulped nervously. "I...I think our time is up."

Damon looked at the clock and then back at Elena. "We've only got five minutes left." He pulled her out of her chair and onto the couch with him, kissing her deeply and passionately, exploring her mouth with his tongue. Elena felt weak as she returned his kiss, moaning against his mouth as their tongues collided. She felt him running his hands up and down her body as the kisses got deeper and more persistent and just as he put his hand under her shirt, Elena pulled away and went to call for Brady to escort her out.

As he watched her leave, Damon licked his lips and felt himself getting hard. Shit, and he had to go and scare her.

_Smooth move, Salvatore, really smooth, _his mind scolded him. _You went too fast and you scared her. _He smirked then. _No matter, because you know that you already have her under your spell, considering the fact she had a hot and steamy sex dream about you._

_**Note: Hey, guys! I'm back from vacation and I thought I'd treat you guys to an update. Don't worry, things will get better for Delena. That kiss is just the preview of things to come. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer; I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena meets with Damon in the rec room, where she tells him about the dream she had and they share a rather steamy kiss.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital – Next Day..._

Elena was beyond flustered as she walked through the door. What the hell was Damon trying to do, kissing her like that? She was already having enough trouble staying asleep at night without him making it worse. As much as she hated to admit it, she was starting to feel strangely and undeniably attracted to him. But, that was impossible, right? It was unethical for a therapist and his or her patient to fall for each other, and yet there was no shortage of evidence of such a thing happening. It was called transference, if Elena remembered correctly.

Brady saw that Elena had a confused look on her face as she approached and tilted his head in confusion and concern. "Are you okay, Dr. Gilbert? You look like you're lost."

"Well, maybe not in the literal sense, but you could say I am," she replied. "So, where am I meeting with Damon today, the conjugal visit room?"

Brady blinked. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Brady, I didn't mean to be sarcastic," said Elena. "I guess the past few days have been stressful for me. Damon has been...getting to me."

"It happens to the best of us," said Brady. "And to really answer your question, you and Damon will be meeting in his room. Though, he has another visitor."

"Another visitor?" said Elena. "Who?"

"His mother."

Elena then realized that Damon told her that his mother came to see him, and she believed that he didn't deserve to be here. Question was, why would she choose today of all days to visit? He mentioned that she hadn't been by in a week, so she was probably due for one of their usual visits.

_I guess this would be the perfect opportunity for me to meet Damon's mother,_ she thought. _It could help me understand him better if I got her perspective on things._

"I don't mind," she said. "This might not be a bad thing."

"Okay," said Brady. "Then, I'll take you to Damon's room."

Elena nodded and the two of them walked down the same corridor she had taken the first day with Klaus. As they walked, Elena's mind wandered back to the scene in the rec room, and how Damon had completely turned the tables on her by giving her that scorching kiss. Shit, why did he have to be so damn hot? She could've had her pick of any inmate in the place, but she was stuck with a man who found her desirable, and she him. Why did the term transference have to exist? It was an evil, foul, disgusting term.

Before long, they arrived at Damon's room, where Elena saw a woman with long, black hair that had strands of grey cascading through it, dressed in a navy blue suit dress with matching pumps. When the woman looked at her, Elena saw that her eyes were the same icy blue as Damon's.

"Hello," she said. "You must be Elena. Damon was telling me so much about you, my dear."

"He has?" said Elena. "What has been telling you about me?"

"Don't worry, it was all good things," said the woman. "By the way, I'm Elisabetta Salvatore."

Elena nodded. "It's lovely to finally meet you, Mrs. Salvatore. Your son is quite an interesting young man and I can see why you think he doesn't deserve to be in here."

Elisabetta smiled. "Please, dear, call me Elisabetta. Mrs. Salvatore makes me feel old."

"Okay, Elisabetta it is," said Elena. "Damon told me that you come to see him. I just didn't expect that you would actually be here today."

"Neither did I," said Elisabetta. "But, I suppose things worked out for the best. I mean, I got to meet the woman my son has been all but gushing over, and at the same time, you got to meet the woman who gave him that golden angel charm he carries around with him."

"Oh, right, the charm," said Elena. "I almost forgot about that."

"Well, I see you two have met. Just what I was hoping for when I arranged this."

Elisabetta and Elena snapped to attention upon hearing Damon's voice and turned to see him coming into the room. Where the hell had he been the whole time they were talking? And what did he mean by what he just said?

"Yes, we have," said Elena. "I have to admit, though, I wasn't expecting to see her."

Damon smiled. "It got you in the same room with her, didn't it?"

"It did," said Elisabetta. "And I must say, Damon, she's everything you described to me. Beautiful, smart, and loyal. Why, with her help, you could be out here sooner than you think." She smiled at her son. "Well, I suppose I should let you tend to your business."

She went to walk out of the room, stopped and turned to Elena. "It was lovely to have met you, Elena. I hope to see you again soon. Take care of my son. He's a good boy and doesn't deserve any of this. My husband is doing this to hurt us and so help me, I'm going to divorce the bastard and sue him for everything he's got."

With that, she left the room. Once Elisabetta was gone, Elena then felt Damon's arms wrap themselves around her from behind. Wait, wasn't he on the other side of the room a few minutes ago? He must've moved while his mother was giving her final speech. Still, she felt goose bumps on her skin, which was made worse by Damon kissing her neck and then moving up to nibble on her earlobe.

"Damon, what are you doing?"

"Being affectionate," he replied. "Plus, you're tense today, even more so than yesterday."

"Which you no doubt had something to do with," said Elena. "Damon, what are you trying to prove here?"

Damon blinked and stepped back a little. "I'm not trying to prove anything, Elena." He gently grabbed her arms and turned her around so that she was facing him. "Let me ask you something, though, why is it that you're suddenly tense around me? I told you when we met that I would never hurt you. I'm not like the other inmates. Elena, you can't deny what's happening here. There's something going on between us and it goes deeper than a doctor-patient thing." He gently brushed her face with his hand. "You feel it too, don't you?"

Elena shivered at his touch. "Maybe I do, but I'm not sure if I can handle it."

"You can, you're just not allowing yourself to," said Damon. "Don't be afraid to let yourself feel the things I know you're feeling for me."

Elena never got to respond because she then felt his lips collide with hers in a soft, passionate kiss as he pulled her closer to him. Elena returned his kiss and moaned against his mouth as she felt his tongue dance with hers. He was right, she couldn't deny what was happening here. Against her will, she was falling hard for the undeniably sexy Damon Salvatore, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

_**Note: Here you go, guys, another update. They will have sex eventually, I'm just pacing myself. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena meets Damon's mother, Elisabetta, and has a steamy moment with Damon.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome! No spoilers, except things are going to get interesting for Delena.**_

"_You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure, and even a little danger." - Damon to Elena, 3x22, "The Departed"_

_That Night..._

Damon felt the sweat pouring down his face as he climbed out of the window. He knew that he was taking a major risk by breaking out like this, but he had been thinking about Elena since their meeting earlier, and he couldn't bear to be away from her, even though he knew that she was going to be coming tomorrow. That and he didn't give a shit if he got caught, because seeing Elena was too important.

Once he was safely outside, Damon looked around, trying to find something that he could use to get off the facility grounds without the guards seeing him. Spying a rather large gap in the chain link fence that surrounded the perimeter of the facility, Damon went toward it and slipped out as quietly as possible, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone had seen or heard him. Seeing no one, he sighed in relief and, not wasting a second, Damon ran off into the darkness, hell bent on getting to Elena.

_Elena's Apartment – That Same Moment..._

Elena sighed as she climbed into bed. She doubted she'd get any sleep tonight, especially not after the way her session with Damon ended, and the things he had said to her still echoed through her mind. The one thing in that stood out the most was:

"_Elena, you can't deny what's happening here. There's something going on between us and it goes deeper than a doctor-patient thing. You feel it too, don't you?"_

Shaking her head, Elena tried to get rid of that memory, but she knew that it wasn't going to go away. She also knew that although it was impossible, her attraction to Damon was undeniable, and sooner or later, she was going to have to succumb completely to what her heart was telling her, in spite of what her head was telling her.

Sighing again, she said to herself, "I guess I should try to get some sleep. I want to be fresh for when I face Damon tomorrow. I just hope I can handle this."

Her mind made up, Elena turned off the light and pulled the covers over her, closing her eyes in an attempt to fall asleep. A few minutes later, Elena was awakened by a strange sound. Not sure where it was coming from, she slowly climbed out of bed and went to investigate, ignoring her pounding heart. The sound got louder as she approached the second bedroom and when she got there, she gasped when she saw...

"Damon?"

Damon smiled at her. "Hello, gorgeous."

"What the hell are you doing here?" said Elena. "Do you have any idea how much shit we're going to be in if you get caught?"

"I broke out of the facility," said Damon. "I wanted to see you and I didn't give a shit if they caught me making a break for it. I couldn't stand waiting until tomorrow. I kept thinking about our kiss and it was driving me crazy, if you'll excuse the pun." He carefully approached her and gently took her hand, placing it on his chest, directly over his heart. "Feel that? You make my heart race, Elena. I have never felt this way about anyone until I met you."

Elena felt his heart pounding under her hand and tears welled up in her eyes, falling down her cheeks half a beat later. Damon saw this and wiped her tears away with his free hand. "Honey, please, don't cry."

Elena sniffed. "I'm sorry, Damon. I just...don't know what to say to that."

"Then, don't say anything."

Elena nodded and turned her attention toward his lips. Shortly after, she used her free hand to grab the back of Damon's head and pulled him toward her, kissing him passionately. Damon returned her kiss without hesitation, pulling her closer to him and gently running his hands up and down her body, his cock responding immediately.

Elena moaned against his mouth as she then felt his exploring her mouth. God, she felt like her entire body was on fire and the only way she was going to extinguish it was to throw caution to the wind and let herself go.

She pulled back after a few minutes and nibbled on his bottom lip. "I want you, Damon."

Damon nibbled on her bottom lip. "Are you sure? There will be no turning back once we start."

Elena nodded and then slowly moved her hand down to his cock, feeling how hard it was against her palm. "I'm positive. Just help me relieve this tension I've been feeling. I need your touch, Damon."

Damon said nothing and nodded, kissing her again, with every intention of granting her request. Keeping his lips on hers, he picked her up bridal style and carried her to her bedroom, kicking the door shut with his foot. He then set her down and gently pushed her up against the wall, kissing her a bit more roughly this time, pulling her nightie up over her head and then leaving her lips to trail kisses from her jawline to her neck, to the valley between her breasts, and then to her belly, pulling down her panties to reveal the most private part of her body, the part that ached for him the most.

Kissing her thigh, Damon gently pushed her legs apart and stuck his finger into her clit to heighten her pleasure. Elena panted as she felt what he was doing and let out a scream of pleasure as she grabbed a hold of his hair, which felt like black velvet against her skin.

Damon groaned as his cock hardened even more against his pants. Shit, the power Elena had over him was incredible. He removed his finger from her clit and licked her sweet juices off it. She was soaked, indicating that she was ready for him.

Eager to be inside her, Damon stood up and then took her over to her bed, laying her down, after which he took off his shirt, revealing his perfectly scuplted chest to her. Elena gasped when she saw it. _It looks just like it did in my dream,_ she thought. _Of course, the real thing is much better._

"Like what you see?"

Biting her lip, she nodded. "Yes. You're gorgeous, like a Greek god."

Damon smiled and kissed her. Elena then let out a muffled scream against his lips as she reached down and helped him off with his pants and boxers, shivering slightly at the feel of his hard erection against her hand. Damon then spread her legs apart again and drove his cock into her core, groaning at how hot and tight she felt, as well as how good a fit he was in her, thrusting slowly at first, but gradually picked up speed so that she could get used to him.

Elena gyrated her hips in time with his thrusts, keeping up with his movements exactly. She wanted this moment to last, so she made sure that she paced herself. After all, there was no telling if they had called the police to alert them about Damon's escape, so she had to make this moment count.

Damon then got an idea, pulled out of her, and rolled her onto her belly. He then entered her from behind and increased his speed. Elena held onto the sheets, the heat between them rising about five degrees. Of course, she didn't care about that. The only thing she cared about was Damon.

_2 Hours Later..._

Elena snuggled against Damon as they held each other close under the sheets. They had spent the last two hours in a state of pure ecstasy and it was the best two hours of their lives. Although she was sore in both the front and the back, Elena knew that the soreness was worth it.

"That was amazing," she said. "Hell, it was better than what my dreams showed me." She kissed his chest. "You're quite a lover, Damon."

Damon smiled as he felt her kissing his chest. "I aim to please, _amore mia_."

"You speak Italian?"

"My mother taught me when I was little," said Damon. "The word I just said means 'my love.' I thought it would be a good pet name for you."

"I like it," said Elena. "It's beautiful, even more so when you say it in that velvety voice of yours."

Damon smiled again and kissed her. He knew that reality would have to set it eventually and that the authorities would be hot on his trail, but that was of no consequence to him. The only thing he was concerned with at that moment was being with Elena and basking in the afterglow.

_**Note: Yeah, thought I'd make things interesting because although I enjoy writing the scenes in the psychiatric hospital, it was starting to get a little boring, so as a change of pace, I thought I'd have Damon break out and go to Elena. Stay tuned and enjoy the Delena smut I threw in. ;) ^_^**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon breaks out of the facility, goes to see Elena, and they have a steamy night together.**_

_**Thank you for your reviews! I just got inspired to write this next chapter. No spoilers, just follow along!**_

_Elena's Apartment – Early Next Day..._

Damon smiled at the sleeping form of Elena as he got his clothes back on. He wanted to stay and bask in the afterglow, but he knew that he had to get back to the facility before anyone noticed he was gone. Besides, he knew that there would be plenty more opportunities to be with her, which made the situation better.

Once he was dressed, he carefully walked over to the bed and kissed her softly before whispering in her ear, "Thank you for last night, angel. I had a great time. Sweet dreams, and I'll see you later maybe."

That being said, he walked out of Elena's room, slowly closing the door behind him, and slipped into the second bedroom, climbing out of the window, thanking his lucky stars that the apartment building Elena lived in was only two stories. Once out of the building, he took the quickest route that could led him to the Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital, hoping that he'd get there in plenty of time.

_Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital – 15 Minutes Later..._

The shortcut proved to be effective, and Damon smiled as he reached the hole in the fence that he had slipped out only hours before. He didn't see any guards, so that meant that the new shift hadn't started yet. Taking advantage of this, Damon decided to slip in through the main entrance and, if he was quick enough, he'd be able to get to his room and no one would be the wiser.

Little did he realize, however, that his plan had a bit of a flaw, because no sooner did he step through the main entrance of the building than Damon felt something burning into his flesh and he fell to the floor, screaming in agony. Shit, he forgot about the tasers. Courtesy of Klaus, most likely, since he ran the place with an iron fist.

"Well, well, our little fugitive returns."

Speak of the devil, the all-too-familiar thick, rich British accent belonging to Klaus was heard following the unpleasant electric shock.

Not giving Damon a chance to speak, he said, "Now, Damon, what was so important that you had to break out of your room? A better question would be, who was so important? Do you have a special girl in town that you couldn't bear to see in tears?"

Damon didn't dare tell him that he had been with Elena. No, he loved her too much to betray her like this, and Klaus couldn't make him if he tried.

Although it was painful to speak, he said to Klaus, "Screw you."

Klaus didn't take Damon's defiance lightly. He nodded to the guard who had tased him before and Damon was subjected to another shot to the neck, screaming out yet again in pain. After a few minutes, Klaus raised his hand, telling the guard to stop. He approached Damon and grabbed him by the hair, making him meet his gaze.

"Wrong answer." He turned to the guards. "Take him to Isolation and strap him to the bed. After the little stunt he pulled, he's earned himself at least a week to think about what he's done."

The guards nodded and grabbed Damon's arms, pulling him away as Klaus released his grip on his hair, watching them as they went through the door leading to Isolation. Isolation was reserved for inmates that defied the rules of the facility, or just inmates that Klaus wanted to break mentally. Stays in there varied in length, from either several days, to a week, or even a month, depending on how deserving the inmate was of a trip.

As the guards reached the room, Damon attempted to break out of their hold, his adrenaline overpowering the pain of the electric shocks that had been administered to his system. He couldn't allow himself to be placed in here. What would Elena think if she came to see him and he wasn't where he normally was? The guards held him tighter and placed him on the bed, strapping his wrists and ankles down with the leather restraints.

Damon roared out in a rage, struggling against the straps. While he struggled, an orderly came in and injected a tranquilizer into his arm, which took effect within a few minutes, even though Damon tried to keep struggling as long as possible. Finally, he stopped struggling and passed out in the bed.

As his consciousness slipped, he whispered, "_Elena_."

_Later that Day..._

Elena pulled into the facility as she usually did. Today, however, her mind seemed to focus on what happened between her and Damon last night. It had been an enjoyable experience for them both, and Elena knew that in that moment, she was in love with him. In fact, she was determined to fight even harder to get him released, and she was definitely going to let Elisabetta know it too.

However, as she walked through the main doors, Elena couldn't help but get the feeling that something was wrong. The environment of the facility, which was normally warm and welcoming, seemed cold and foreboding.

_This is strange,_ she thought. _What the hell is going on here? I usually feel good about coming here, but not today. No, today, I feel like something terrible happened._

"Ah, Elena, there you are. I was just about to call you."

Klaus' voice brought Elena back to reality somewhat and, although she still had a sick feeling in her stomach, she managed a smile. "Klaus, what's going on?"

"We had a little situation," he replied. "You see, Damon broke out of the facility last night. He returned a few hours later, possibly around 6:00 this morning. The guards subdued him with a taser and..."

"What happened to him, Klaus?" said Elena, her heart hammering. "Where's Damon?"

"Isolation," said Klaus. "He needs to think about his actions, so I had the guards place him in there for a week. We don't take defiance lightly here. Break a rule, and be prepared to face the consequences for your actions."

Elena was really scared now. Shit, Damon was being punished, and all because he had gone to see her. She hated to think that she was partially to blame for this, but she loved Damon too much to let him be subjected to such cruelty. He was a good man and he didn't deserve this.

"Can...Can I see him?"

Klaus eyed her curiously. "It's best that you don't. You might get hurt."

"Damon won't hurt me. He told me so himself," said Elena. "Just let me see him, even if it's only for an hour at the most. I just...need to see him. I want to see if he's all right. Then, once I have confirmation, I'll leave."

Klaus raised an eyebrow at Elena's tone. Was something going on between her and Damon and he didn't know about it?

Sighing, he said, "All right, you may go in and see him. But, remember, don't stay longer than an hour."

Elena didn't give a verbal reply, just nodded, and Klaus signaled for Brady, who escorted her into Isolation. The whole time they walked, Elena's heart pounded even harder. Oh God, her poor Damon, the pain he must be in right now. She was tempted to kick Brady in the balls, grab his key, free Damon, and run away with him, and didn't give a shit where they went, as long as it was far away.

After a few minutes, they arrived at the room Damon was taken to. Brady opened the door with his keys, looking at Elena as soon as the door was opened.

"Remember, Elena," he said. "Only an hour."

Elena nodded and walked into the room. She gasped when she saw Damon unconscious on the bed, covered up to his neck by a white sheet, breathing softly. Keeping her tears at bay, Elena approached the bed, sitting down in a chair and lifting the sheet the covered him. When she saw that he had restraints on his wrists. A closer look told her he had them on his ankles too.

She gently kissed his forehead, as well as his cheeks, eyelids, nose, and lips. It was while she was kissing his lips that Damon woke up. Elena stopped kissing him and looked into his eyes. Instead of the beautiful icy blue that they normally were, she saw that his eyes were almost a greyish color

With a moan, he said, "Elena."

Elena smiled and placed her finger on his lips to silence him. "Shhh. Don't talk, you need your strength."

"Klaus tried to get me to tell him where I went last night," said Damon. "I didn't tell him that I went to see you, because I didn't want to betray you."

Elena nodded. "You did good, Damon. I appreciate it." She sighed. "God, I feel like I'm responsible for you being here."

"No, angel, don't blame yourself," said Damon. "This was all me." He managed a smirk. "But, it was all worth it for you."

"Still, I can't help but feel like this is my fault," said Elena. "You broke out of this place because of me."

"Elena, I told you, this was all me," said Damon. "I did this, and therefore, I have to face the consequences."

Elena felt tears welling up in her eyes and kissed him. Damon returned her kiss, wishing he could hold her. Damn these restraints! Elena kissed him again and slowly climbed into the bed with him, wrapping her arms around him. She didn't give a shit about anything in that moment. The only thing she cared about was Damon and possibly getting him out of this hell hole.

Before she knew it, an hour had passed. How she wished she could stay longer, but she promised Klaus and Brady that she'd only stay an hour. She reluctantly got out of the bed, kissing him one more time, and headed toward the door. As she was walking away, she turned to look at Damon one more time.

"I'll get you out of here, Damon," she said. "I promise you, you'll never have to see the inside of a room like this again. I...I love you."

Damon smiled. "I love you too, Elena. I have faith in you. Never forget that."

Elena returned his smile and, without a word, walked out of the room. She had quite a fight ahead of her, that was for sure. But, she wouldn't give up, not when Damon had faith in her.

_**Note: Yeah, thought I'd add a little spice to the story by having Damon get busted for breaking out. Don't worry, guys, Elena won't let Damon suffer, not when she has finally realized how much he means to her. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon gets caught for escaping and is thrown into Isolation. Elena visits him and, after a tender moment between them, promises to get him out.**_

_**Thank you for your great reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Elena's Apartment – That Evening..._

Elena nervously paced the floor, her heart hammering in her chest. She had called Elisabetta shortly after returning from seeing Damon, telling her that she needed her help, and was now waiting for her to arrive. She knew that Elisabetta wanted to get her son released, hence the reason she thought she'd make a good ally in her quest to do the same. She loved Damon with all her heart and she didn't give a shit if she lost her job over this. The only thing she really cared about was freeing the man she loved. The sight of him being strapped down to that bed tore her apart. Of course, it didn't tear her apart half as much as what he had said to her when she blamed herself for what happened.

"_No, angel, don't blame yourself. This was all me."_

Elena bit her lip as tears stung her eyes. It wasn't the words themselves that affected her, but it was the manner in which they were said.

At that moment, a knock was heard at her door, startling her out of her reverie. Clearing her throat, Elena went to answer it and looked through the peep hole to see who it was. When she saw it was Elisabetta, she let out a sigh of relief and opened the door.

"Oh, Elisabetta, thank God you're here," she said. "We have a bit of a situation here."

Elisabetta could tell from her face that the poor girl was distressed and when she stepped inside, she hugged her, gently running her fingers through her hair. Elena returned the older woman's hug. Although she would've preferred being hugged by Damon, this would have to do.

"I knew from your phone call that something had happened. What's going on?"

"It's Damon," said Elena. "He escaped from the facility and came to see me. Then, when he went back, he got caught and they put him in Isolation." The tears she had held at bay before Elisabetta arrived came pouring down her face. "He was so helpless strapped to that bed and it tore me apart. I love him so much, and I can't stand to see him in so much pain."

Elisabetta stepped back and wiped Elena's tears with a tissue. "We'll get him out of there, Elena. You did the right thing by calling me."

Elena nodded tearfully and was about to say something when a young man with short, dark blonde hair and green eyes walked in. This had to be Stefan. She remembered him being alluded to the day she and Damon met.

"You must be Stefan. I'm Elena."

Stefan nodded and forced a smile. "Yeah, Mom told me about you. She said that you were working on getting Damon out of the facility."

"I am, yes," said Elena. "I just came from there a while ago. He escaped last night and came here to see me. He went back early this morning and they caught him. When I got there, Klaus told me that they had put him in Isolation for a week." She started to cry again, although she was trying not to. "I hated seeing him that way, strapped to the bed by his wrists and ankles."

"Well, he won't have to be in that place much longer," said Elisabetta. "I'll never give up on my son. True, what he did was wrong, but he wasn't in control of himself at the time." She sighed. "This is why I'm fighting tooth and nail against Guiseppe. He's the one pulling the strings, and if we want to get Damon out of that place, we have take the control away from Guiseppe."

"How are we going to do that?" said Elena. "I mean, that sounds like it's easier said than done."

"Mom has a good lawyer," said Stefan. "She hired him shortly after Damon was committed, even though Dad was strongly against it, saying that she was fighting a lost cause."

Elena looked at Stefan. "Stefan, may I ask you something?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

"Damon told me that he hoped that you wouldn't hate him," said Elena. "I mean, he held you at gun point when he had his episode. What I'm trying to say is, do you..."

Stefan shook his head. "No, Elena, I don't hate Damon for what he did. I know that he wasn't in control of what he was doing at the time. He's my brother, and I'll always love and respect him. In fact, that's why I'm here, to help you and Mom."

Elena smiled. "Thank you, Stefan. Your mother and I are going to need all the help we can get at this point, and I'm glad that we're not alone."

_Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital, Isolation – That Same Moment..._

Damon sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. He missed Elena terribly, and he wished that she was here with him right now, holding him close and telling him that everything was going to be all right. Damn that Klaus! Didn't he understand what love was? He was married, for God's sake, and with a baby on the way, so he had to least know _something_ about love.

He then tried to struggle against the restraints, but he was strapped down good and tight. Not about to let that deter him, he tried again, even though he got the same result.

As he continued to struggle, the door to the room opened and in walked the last person Damon expected to see, the one responsible for him being in here.

Growling, he said, "Dad. What are you doing here?"

Guiseppe Salvatore gave his eldest son a look of contempt and malice. "I came here to tell you that I know what your mother is up to, and that I think she's wasting her time. You don't deserve to be released into society."

Damon stood his ground, refusing to let what this bastard was saying get to him. "You won't be able to stop her. She's willing to fight you tooth and nail to get me out of this place. You can try to counterattack, but she'll match you blow for blow until she defeats you. She's not a pushover, she'll kick your ass so fast, you won't have time to blink."

"We shall see," said Guiseppe. "Oh, and I heard about your little adventure. Tell me, Damon, why did you escape? Was there someone you needed to see in town?"

Damon was tempted to give his father the same response he gave to Klaus, but instead, he said, "Kiss my ass." _Chew on that for a while, asshole,_ he added in his mind.

Guiseppe snarled. "Fine, be insolent. I did what I came to do." He went to walk out and then turned and said, "Hope you're comfortable in here, because when I defeat your mother, I'll see to it that you spend the rest of your life here and the only way out is in a casket."

Damon growled at his father and watched him walk out of the room. No sooner did Guiseppe leave than one of the night nurses came in, a needle in her hand. Obviously, Guiseppe must've told her to give him another dose of tranquilizer. Damon saw her approach the bed and struggled as she stuck him and, just like before, the stuff kicked in and it wasn't long before Damon was unconscious again.

_**Note: Bet you didn't expect me to put Damon's father in there, did you? Yeah, I wanted to really up the ante and include him. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elisabetta and Stefan arrive to assist Elena in her quest to set Damon free. Meanwhile, Guiseppe visits Damon in Isolation and tells him that Elisabetta's efforts to save him are in vain.**_

_**Thank you for your reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital – Next Day..._

Elena had a determined look on her face as she walked into the facility. She had gotten a newfound sense of hope that she would save Damon from this horrible place. Once that was accomplished, she planned to leave Mystic Falls with him and go to a place where they could live in peace. The destination itself was still up in the air, but she figured they'd discuss that once Elisabetta won the case.

Brady smiled at her as she approached him and said, "Hello, Elena. Here to see your favorite patient?"

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Brady, I'm here to see Damon. Just because he's in Isolation doesn't mean that I can't keep up with his sessions, right? Klaus hired me to do a job and I'm going to keep doing it."

_Keep it up, Elena,_ her mind told her. _Just make them believe that you're here for your regular sessions. Hopefully, your true intentions won't be found out. You can't afford to screw this up. Not when Damon is counting on you to get him out of this hell hole._

Brady nodded and led her into Isolation. As she followed him, Elena felt her heart hammer in her chest. She hoped to God that she'd be able to fool Klaus into thinking that she and Damon had a professional relationship to disguise the more romantic one that they were just embarking on. When they reached the room, Brady used his key card and let Elena in, telling her that he'd be just outside and to let him when she was done.

Nodding, Elena walked into the room, where she saw Damon looking at her and smiling.

"Hey, angel," he said. "I missed you."

Elena returned his smile. "Believe me, the feeling is mutual. I have good news. Your mother has this really good lawyer and, with any luck, you'll be able to live among sane people again." She saw his smile fade then. "What's wrong?"

"You may have a bit of a complication," said Damon. "My dad came to see me last night."

Elena blinked. Shit, this was unexpected. "What did he say?"

"He knew about Mom's plan," said Damon. "He said that she's wasting her time, and that I don't deserve to be in society."

"Bullshit," said Elena. "I know for a fact that you do deserve to be in society, Damon. While what you did was wrong, you had no control over your actions." She went over to the bed and sat down, running her fingers through his hair. "We'll beat this, Damon, I promise you. I love you, so much."

Damon smiled. "I love you too, angel." His smile faded again. "You know, not only do you have my father as your adversary, but you also have to deal with Klaus. Sooner or later, he's going to figure out that our relationship isn't professional."

"I know," said Elena. "But, I don't care about that. I only care about you." She leaned in and kissed him. "Everything is going to be all right, Damon. I won't let anything stand in the way of freeing you."

_1 Hour Later..._

After her visit with Damon ended, Elena walked out of Isolation with Brady. When they were about half way to the reception desk, Elena saw Klaus standing there. Shit, now what? _Just stay calm. Maybe this isn't what you think it is._

"Ah, Elena, just the person I wanted to see."

Elena blinked. "What's going on, Klaus? I'm just about to leave. Can't this wait until tomorrow?"

"No, I'm afraid it can't," said Klaus. "I want to speak with you." He looked toward Brady. "Privately."

Elena ignored her pounding heart as Brady walked away. Klaus then motioned for Elena to follow him and they went to his office. Elena bit her lip as she walked in and sat in the chair across from the desk. She hoped that he hadn't called her here to tell her that he knew about her relationship with Damon.

"What did you need to see me about?" Elena tried to disguise the nervousness in her voice, even though she was failing miserably.

"It's about Damon."

His reply made Elena even more nervous. _Great, he knows. Shit, and just when things couldn't get more complicated._

Klaus cleared his throat. "I've spoken with his father and he thinks that Damon doesn't deserve to be released back into society."

Elena bit her lip, wondering how she could respond to this without sounding like a protective lover, even though that's what she was at the moment. Finally, she exhaled and decided to try and speak as frankly as she could, as well as try to conceal her emotions.

"What if he's wrong?" she said. "What if Damon can be released? In my sessions with him, he's just as sane as any other person you'd meet. He's articulate and well-mannered." _Not to mention he's a great kisser and knows how to pleasure a woman,_ her thoughts added.

"That's a matter of opinion, Elena," said Klaus. "But, Mr. Salvatore seems to be quite adamant about Damon remaining where he can be monitored and receive treatment for his condition."

_Sounds more like he wants to torture Damon,_ Elena thought. _And what's worse, Klaus seems to agree with him. I just hope Elisabetta's lawyer is as good as Stefan claims he is. Otherwise, we're really in deep shit here._

"I may not know Damon's father, but this sounds like abuse." _Subtle, Elena, real subtle._

"Abuse?" said Klaus. "The man only wants what's right for his son. After all, he did threaten to kill his brother and himself. Surely, you can't blame him for protecting his family."

Elena was tempted to say, "Which is bullshit, if you ask me," but stopped herself, knowing that if she did, Klaus would really suspect something.

"Klaus, you're going to be a father, right?"

"Yes, any time now," he replied. "Why?"

"Suppose one day, your son or daughter does something that he or she had no control over, like Damon did, you wouldn't lock him or her up and throw away the key, right?" said Elena. "You would do everything in your power to prevent that, right? Obviously, Damon's father doesn't want to do that. He'd much rather let Damon rot in here than accept him for who he is." _Elena, shut up, you're going to give yourself away. You were doing so well. Now, Klaus is really going to know about you and Damon. Why not just broadcast it over the intercom while you're at it?_

Klaus was about to answer her when his cell phone rang. He looked at the ID and saw Caroline's number on it. "Hold that thought, Elena. I have to take this."

Elena nodded and Klaus answered his phone. "Caroline? What's wrong, love?"

"I'm in the hospital. I was shopping and I had this really bad pain. I thought it was nothing at first, just some indigestion, but it got worse, so I called Rebekah and had her take me to the emergency room, and..."

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, darling," said Klaus. "I'm leaving the office now. Have you seen a doctor while you were there?"

"Yes," said Caroline. "He said that the umbilical cord is wrapping around the baby's neck and that I need a C-section or he'll die."

"Hang tight, Caroline, I'm on my way," said Klaus. "I love you, and we'll get through this, I promise." He hung up and looked at Elena. "I'd hate to cut this short, but Caroline needs me. She went into labor and my sister took her to the emergency room."

"You don't have to explain," said Elena. "Go to your wife."

Klaus nodded and left the office. Once he was gone, Elena sighed in relief. She almost gave herself away, but she lucked out with the phone call. _Shit, if Caroline hadn't called when she did, chances are I would've blown my cover._

_**Note: Damn, that was close, wasn't it? Fear not, dear readers, your benevolent author threw in that twist with Caroline to prevent Klaus from discovering that Damon and Elena's relationship was less than professional. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena learns that Damon's father is on to Elisabetta's plan to get him released.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital – Later that Night..._

The corridors of the facility were dark and quiet, the only sound being the occasional foot falls of the night guard making his rounds. When the foot falls faded, the grate from the ventilation fell on the floor, along with a rope, and three people dressed in black slid down, landing gracefully, looking around to see if anyone had heard them. Seeing no one, they took off toward the door leading to Isolation, keeping to the shadows just in case.

When they got to the door, the leader used a fabricated card and they proceeded down to the hall to the room Damon was in. When they got there, they used the card yet again, going over to the bed and undoing the restraints that were holding Damon down to the bed. Once they had him free, they quickly made their way out of the room, and when they got to the lobby, they climbed back up the rope, taking the grate for the ventilation, placing it back where it belonged so that their presence wasn't detected.

_Salvatore Family Summer Estate – Next Morning..._

Damon groaned as he woke up the next morning. As his vision cleared, he saw that he was in a very luxurious room. That's funny, wasn't he in Isolation only hours ago? Where the hell was he and how did he get here?

He got his answer in the form of the door opening. Damon sat up in the bed and watched as it opened, not sure who this was and his eyes widened when he saw...

"Elena?"

Elena smiled. "Yes, Damon, it's me."

"I don't get it, where the hell are we?"

"Relax, we're at your family's summer estate," said Elena. "Your mother, Stefan, and I rescued you from the facility last night and brought you here. I told them what I found out and your mother thought that the best course of action would be to get you out of there."

Damon blinked and looked around again. So, they were at the summer estate? No wonder everything looked so luxurious. He hadn't set foot in this place since he was a teenager, but everything was still as fresh and familiar as it was before.

"Where's my mom now?"

"She went into town to get some things."

"And Stefan?"

"He's downstairs in the kitchen making some soup and sandwiches for us," said Elena. "Damon, you'll be safe here. Your father has no idea where we are, so he can't get to you."

"Maybe not now, he can't," said Damon. "But, sooner or later, he's going to find out and when he does, we're all going to be in deep shit." He sighed. "Elena, I know that you think you're doing the right thing and I love you for it, but I just don't want you to get caught in the cross fire."

"I understand," said Elena. "And I know that you're worried about me. Trust me, we'll get through this." She went over to the bed, climbed in with him, and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him passionately. "I love you."

Damon said nothing, just returned her kiss, pulling her close to him. God, how he missed being able to hold her. He hated those nasty restraints and now that his hands were free, he could touch her again. That's when he felt his cock start getting hard, groaning against her lips.

Elena felt it as well and giggled. "Why, Damon, are you trying to tell me that we're overdue for some sexy time?"

Damon smirked at her question. "Maybe." He quickly pulled off his shirt and hers, undoing the clasps of her bra, freeing her breasts. "Now that we're alone in this big bed, I think we should take advantage of it."

Elena giggled again and kissed him passionately, running her hands down his chest, earning her a groan from him, helping him off with his pants and underwear, feeling his hard erection against her hand. Damon kissed her a bit more roughly this time, undoing the button and zipper on her jeans, pulling them off along with her panties, and pushed her down onto the mattress before sticking his throbbing cock into her core, thrusting hard and fast into her.

Elena pulled away from his lips for a moment before letting out a scream of pleasure. Shit, it felt so good to be in her Damon's arms again and being loved by him. Even though she knew that reality would have to set in and they'd face Guiseppe Salvatore's wrath, at least it was good to know that she got to be with the man she loved.

She moved against his thrusts, keeping in sync with him, not wanting to miss a single beat. Damon then trailed his kisses from her jawline to her earlobe, nibbling it playfully with his teeth, and then to the valley between her breast, licking the tender nipples with his tongue.

Elena wrapped her legs around his waist and ran her fingers through his hair, trembling at the feel of black velvet against her skin, a feeling that she thought she'd never feel again. She waited until he moved back up to her lips before rolling over so that she was on top, riding him hard and fast. Feeling herself getting close, she threw her head back and let out another scream of pleasure, Damon following suit half a beat later.

_Elsewhere..._

Stefan was just getting the sandwiches ready when he heard sounds coming from upstairs. Smiling knowingly, he shook his head. Damon and Elena were definitely having fun up there and he wasn't about to disturb them, especially not when they needed their privacy.

Elisabetta walked in at that moment, with two bags in her hands. "Goodness me. You wouldn't believe the lines in the market. I thought I'd never get out of there."

Stefan maintained his smile. "The most important thing is that you're home, Mom."

Elisabetta saw the smile on her youngest son's face and was about to ask why when she got the answer in the form of muffled moans coming from upstairs. She smiled as well and shook her head.

"At least I don't have to ask where Elena is. Well, probably best to let them have their privacy for a little while." She saw what Stefan was making. "And maybe save some sandwiches for them. They're going to be hungry after they finish their little romp upstairs."

Stefan nodded. "I was just going to do that."

Elisabetta nodded as well. Although she knew that her plan was going to fall apart eventually, she was only doing what any mother would do for her son, and that was to make sure that he was safe, even if it was only temporarily. Of course, she did have a Plan B in mind. If Guiseppe did catch, they'd head to Chicago, where her lawyer had a safe house set up for them.

_I only hope it doesn't come to that,_ she thought. _But, at least I know Alaric has a contingency plan in place._

_**Note: Better late than never, huh? Thought I'd throw in some Delena smut in there. And, yes, that trio in the beginning was Elena, Elisabetta and Stefan, in case you were confused.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena, Stefan, and Elisabetta rescue Damon from the facility and take him to the Salvatore family's summer estate, where Damon and Elena have some sexy time.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far, guys! You rock!**_

_Salvatore Family Summer Estate – Later on..._

Damon and Elena were all smiles as they walked downstairs, hand in hand. It had felt good being in each other's arms again and, although she knew that Damon's father would find out about this eventually, Elena tried to stay positive, since Elisabetta's plan seemed to be going well so far. Damon looked at his love the minute they reached the bottom flight and pulled her into his arms, kissing her hotly and then stepping back to look into her brown eyes with his blue ones.

"I love you, Elena. You have to know that."

Elena smiled. "I do, Damon. I love you too." She sighed. "I know you're worried about your father finding out that we rescued you, and believe me, I'm a bit worried about that myself, but I promise you, your mother worked too hard on this plan to fail now. We have to trust her."

Damon smiled as well, mostly because she didn't say, "You have to trust her." "I don't doubt Mom's plan, far from it. I'm just concerned about you. You're risking everything just to save me."

"That's true, but you're worth every risk," said Elena. "Wouldn't you do the same for me if the situation were reversed?"

"Of course," said Damon. "I'd do everything in my power to save you, no questions asked." He took her face in his hands and massaged her cheeks with his thumbs, kissing her again. "My beautiful, brave, loyal Elena, not even death could take you away from me."

Elena returned his kiss, nibbling on his bottom lip. "We'll get through this, Damon. Whatever happens, we'll face it together."

Damon smiled again, falling more and more in love with her with every minute. He wasn't lying when he said he'd do everything in his power to save her. Hell, he'd even kill his father if necessary, because he loved her that much.

"I know we will," he said. "I have faith in you, Elena."

_Mystic Falls Medical Center – That Same Moment..._

Klaus gazed down at the sleeping Caroline as he held their newborn son in his arms. It had been a hard and almost dangerous labor, but little Liam Niklaus Mikaelson was finally here. He had all ten fingers and all ten toes, and all of his vital signs were normal. It brought a smile to Klaus' face knowing that both his wife and son had made it through, because he didn't know if he'd ever be able to function if anything happened to either of them, or even both of them.

At that moment, Caroline yawned and opened her eyes, looking at him, a tired smile on her face. "Hi."

Klaus smiled again. "How are you feeling, love?"

"A bit tired, but lucky to still be here," she replied. "Not to mention thankful that Rebekah got me here when she did." She looked at Liam. "I see my two men are bonding."

"Yes," said Klaus. "He's perfect." He kissed his son's little forehead. "The nurse brought him in here while you were asleep and I was holding him as we waited for you to wake up." He handed the baby to his wife. "Here you are, darling."

Caroline smiled again as she kissed her husband and took the baby from him. She then kissed Liam's forehead and helped him find her nipple so that he could nurse. Klaus watched this proudly and before he could say anything, his cell phone rang. Shit, now what? Excusing himself, Klaus went out to the hall, where he checked the ID. It was from the facility. Not sure what this was about, he pressed "Send" and brought the phone to his ear.

"This had better be important. I just became a father and I'm in the middle of bonding with my son."

"It is important, sir. Damon Salvatore escaped again."

Klaus blinked. "Escaped? How the hell was that possible? He was strapped down to that bed good and tight. There was no way he could've gotten the restraints off."

"I'm just as baffled about this as you, sir," said Brady. "I thought I'd let you know about it before I took any other action."

"You did good, Brady," said Klaus. "Don't do anything else. I'll handle this. I'll get in touch with Guiseppe Salvatore and alert him to the situation. Then, we'll figure out the best course of action." He heard a beep. "Hold on." He looked at the ID and saw Guiseppe's number. "I have to go, Brady. Guiseppe is calling me."

"All right, sir," said Brady. "Good luck."

Klaus hung up on the guard and answered Damon's father's call. "Guiseppe. I was just about to call you."

"Which is why I decided to call you," said Guiseppe. "Now, one of my men told me that Damon escaped from your facility again, Klaus. Would you mind telling me just how the hell that happened when he was strapped down to that bed in Isolation?"

"I got that same call from Brady, one of the security guards," said Klaus. "I'm just as baffled as you. Apparently, someone is trying to make fools out of us. Someone that thinks that Damon doesn't deserve to be locked up."

"I think I know who it might be."

"Really?" said Klaus. "Who?"

"My wife, Elisabetta," said Guiseppe. "That woman has been fighting me for the past three years about getting Damon freed from the facility, saying that I had no right to keep him there. I wouldn't put it past her to do something like this." Curiously, he added, "You've seen her when she comes by to visit, right? Has she acted strangely when she's there?"

"No, not that I've noticed," said Klaus. "Then again, if she was acting strangely, she was doing a damn good job hiding it." He sighed. "So, Guiseppe, what's our next move?"

"Find out where Elisabetta is hiding Damon," said Guiseppe. "She has to have him hidden somewhere and I have to find out where, even if I have to burn down all of Mystic Falls to do it."

_**Note: I know, a cliffhanger, but I ran out of ideas. Stay tuned for the next installment.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon and Elena have a moment together and Klaus, while in the hospital with his wife and newborn son, receives a call from Brady, who tells him that Damon has escaped, followed by a call from Guiseppe Salvatore, whom he had planned to call.**_

_**Thank you for your wonderful reviews so far! You guys are great! Inspiration for this chapter came from reading the latest chapter of taekwongirl360's story, "Haven in Your Arms."**_

_Later that Day..._

Elisabetta smiled as she watched Damon and Elena having their moment. She was happy that they were able to be together again when it looked as though all hope was lost. She knew what it was like to be young and in love, even if she didn't love her husband for locking Damon up in that hell hole for something that he had no control over.

Suddenly, she heard her phone going off and gasped. Who the hell would be calling her this early? Looking at the ID, she saw the number belonging to her lawyer, Alaric Saltzman. Curious as to why he was calling, she pressed "Send" and brought it to her ear.

"Alaric, what's going on?"

"We have a problem, Elisabetta," he said. "It would seem that your husband knows that you were responsible for Damon's escape from the psychiatric hospital. He's been in contact with Klaus Mikaelson, and it's only a matter of time before he decides to come looking for you."

"The _figilo di pattana_ knows about what we did?" said Elisabetta. "Shit!" She sighed. "It would seem that it's time for Plan B, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so," said Alaric. "I've got the safe house in Chicago set up for you."

Elisabetta nodded. "I knew that we'd have to resort to Plan B eventually, since Guiseppe isn't an idiot, as much as I wish he was." She sighed again. "I'll tell Damon and Elena that things have changed and we have to leave Mystic Falls."

"Good," said Alaric. "Well, don't waste any time. You want to be able to get out of town before Guiseppe and Klaus find you."

Elisabetta nodded and hung up, heading over to Damon and Elena, who had just finished kissing. "I'm afraid we have bad news, you two. It would seem that Guiseppe found out that we helped Damon escape from the facility."

Elena blinked. "What? How the hell did _he_ find that out?"

"My guess is he has connections," said Elisabetta. "Guiseppe always had people working for him, like he was the head of a crime family or something. I'll bet one of his associates tipped him off. In any case, we can't stay here, because there's a good chance that he'll be coming here looking for us."

Elena nodded. "You're right."

Damon nodded as well. "So, where are we going, Mom?"

"Chicago," said Elisabetta. "Alaric has a safe house set up for us there. We'll have to leave right away, though. We can't waste a single minute."

Elena nodded. There really wasn't any time to be wasted, especially not if they wanted to get to Chicago before Guiseppe and Klaus showed up at their doorstep.

_**Note: I know, short chapter, but I'm really tired and I can't think of anything more to add. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elisabetta gets a call from Alaric, warning her that Guiseppe knows what she has done and that they have to get to Chicago, where he has a safe house set up for them.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews, everyone! You're simply the best!**_

_Much Later..._

Elena couldn't help but be worried as they traveled out of Mystic Falls, not just about herself, but about Damon. She had just succeeded in getting him out and now, there was the threat of him being taken away from her. While she was grateful that Alaric was able to warn them about Guiseppe and Klaus, she still had the sick feeling in her stomach that somehow, they would get caught.

"Are you okay, Elena? You seem awfully quiet."

Stefan's question brought her out of her reverie and she shook her head. "No, Stefan, I'm not okay. I'm worried, mostly about Damon. We may have been successful in rescuing him, but the thought of your father and Klaus catching us is hanging over our heads."

"That won't happen," he replied. "Mom's lawyer is very resourceful."

"I know it sounds like I'm doubting him, and believe me, I have all the faith in the world in him," said Elena. "It's just that I love Damon and the thought of him being taken away from me forever is too much for me to bear."

Stefan hugged her. "Nobody is taking him away from you, Elena. Trust me, we won't let them win."

Elena stepped back. "Stefan, I don't want you, your mother, or Alaric to get into any more trouble than you already are. If Damon is truly going to be free, then I want to be the one to do it. Believe me, it's not that I don't appreciate the help, I really do, but..."

"Elena, listen to yourself," said Stefan. "I know you want to help Damon, and so do we. We've been planning this for the past three years, and we're not about to back down now, not when we've worked our asses off."

"I understand that," said Elena. "But, I'm talking out of my ass here. I may not know your father or what he's capable of, but I don't want to take the chance of the two of you getting into trouble for this. Let me handle things from here on out. Think about it, Stefan, what if Chicago isn't the safest place for Damon either? All right, so we'll be safe there for what, a couple of days? A week? A month? Then, what's to stop your father and Klaus from finding out about Alaric's safe house and track us down?"

When Stefan didn't answer her, she said, "You know I'm right about this. Your heart is in the right place and I admire the love you have for your brother. I have the exact same love for my own brother, even if he hasn't spoken to me in years." She sighed. "Just think about it, okay? You don't have to give me an answer right now."

Stefan nodded. "All right, I'll think about it. Don't misunderstand me, Elena, I'm not questioning you, far from it. You're only doing what's right by Damon. I know he loves you just as fiercely as you love him."

Elena was about to answer him when Damon spoke up, having overheard their conversation. "Stefan, could give us a moment?"

Stefan nodded and reluctantly gave them their privacy, after which Damon looked at Elena and said, "Were you serious about all that just now?"

"You _heard_ all that?"

"I did," said Damon. "But, you didn't answer my earlier question. Were you serious about what you said to my brother?"

"I meant every word," said Elena. "Damon, I respect your mother and I appreciate everything she's doing for you, for us, but I just...don't want her to get into trouble just because she's a mother who wants nothing but the best for her son."

Damon nodded. "So, what do you think we should do then?"

"Not sure yet," said Elena. "At this point, the only thing I can really think of is finding a place where your father and Klaus won't think to look." She ran her hand through her hair. "I know that your mother is dead set on going to Chicago, but I can't risk it. We'll have to convince her to drop us off somewhere. Then, we can get a car and drive somewhere safer, like maybe Canada."

When she finished speaking, she studied Damon's face to see if he agreed with what she was saying. _Please, Damon, I'd hate to have anything happen to you. I love you, and that's why we can't go to Chicago with Elisabetta and Stefan. The longer we stay with them, the more dangerous this becomes._

"All right, Elena, I'll go along with your plan," he said. "I don't doubt you. As I said before, I have faith in you."

Elena smiled. "Thank you, Damon. I'd do anything to keep you safe, even convincing your mother that I've got a better idea."

"You don't have to convince me, Elena. I had a feeling that you'd want to do this."

Elena heard Elisabetta's voice from the driver's seat. "You're not mad at me?"

"Of course not, dear," she replied. "I understand completely. Stefan and I will go to Chicago so that we can throw Guiseppe and Klaus off our trail. That way, you and Damon can go wherever you want."

Elena smiled. "Thank you. And we'll keep in contact with you so that you don't worry about us."

"I'd like that, dear," said Elisabetta. "Now, we're just coming to a pit stop. You and Damon can get out there and we'll keep going."

_Rest Stop – A Few Minutes Later..._

Elisabetta pulled the car into the rest stop in question and Elena climbed out, Damon following after her. After wishing Elisabetta and Stefan luck, they went off in search of a car that would take them to wherever they wanted to go. A few minutes of searching brought them to a a shiny blue Camaro that had been discarded.

"This should get us to where we want to go," said Damon. "I've always wanted to drive one of these."

Elena smiled. "Then, you can have dibs." She saw that the window was open. "Well, looks like whoever abandoned the car left the window open."

Damon saw the open window, stuck his hand in, and unlocked the door, allowing Elena to crawl into the passenger side before getting in himself, closing the door behind him. He then saw a set of keys in the ignition, smirking evilly at the discovery.

_Looks like the idiot who left the car also left the keys for us for us to find,_ he thought. _It was like he expected us to take it. This is definitely our lucky day._

Maintaining his smirk, Damon started the car and pulled out of the rest stop, heading off in the direction of either Canada or wherever they would feel safest.

_**Note: Yeah, a bit of an unexpected twist there, huh? I wanted to do something different to spice things up a bit, so I had the group split up and have Damon and Elena head to a different place. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena decides that it is best that the group splits up and that she and Damon head off to Canada, because she feels that they may not be as safe in Chicago as they think they'll be.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Border of United States and Canada – Later on..._

Elena stared out at the scenery around her, hoping to take her mind off everything. It had been a couple of hours since she and Damon acquired the Camaro at the pit stop and she wondered if what she did was the right thing. It was true that she didn't want Elisabetta and Stefan to get into trouble, but at the same time, what if they did anyway?

_Don't think like that, Elena,_ her mind scolded her. _You did the right thing. While you respect and admire Damon's mother for what she's done so far, this is for the best. Besides, it's not like you're cutting off all contact with her and Stefan._

"You okay, love? You're awfully quiet."

Damon's concerned voice brought her out of her reverie and Elena looked at him. "I'd be lying if I said I was, so I won't. Damon, I'm worried about your mother and Stefan. I know I thought I did the right thing by wanting to split up, but what if I was wrong?"

"Elena, you weren't wrong," said Damon. "You were only doing what you thought was right."

"I know, but..."

She cut herself off when she saw the border station. "Looks like this is it." She dug into her purse and took out two passports with two photo IDs with the names "Daniel Sallinger" and "Eleanor Sallinger" on them. Damon took a glance at them and then back toward the road.

"My mother probably had that planned in advance."

"Apparently," she said. "Your father and Klaus are looking for Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore, so it'll be difficult for them to find us if we use aliases, such as the ones your mother gave us." She smiled. "I like the fact she has us married."

"It's kind of hard for her not to," said Damon. "She knows how we feel about each other." He sighed. "Even though I'm married to you as Danny Sallinger, being married to you as Damon Salvatore would be a dream come true."

Elena smiled again. "You still can."

"I can?"

Elena nodded. "Sure. When this is over, I'd like nothing more than to be your wife. I love you, Damon, more than anything."

Damon smiled. It made his heart sing with pride knowing that he'd have his beloved Elena at his side forever once he was finally free of the nightmare his father had subjected him to for the past three years since being in the psychiatric hospital. In fact, he silently vowed that he'd only tap into that dark part of him to protect Elena if push came to shove.

When they reached the man at the gate, Elena showed him their passports. Damon bit his lip as he watched, hoping he'd let them pass without incident. Thankfully, the guard accepted their passports and they were able to pass on through.

_I'd say this for my mother, she's quite resourceful,_ he thought. _I'll have to thank her for this later. I only hope Alaric isn't too pissed when they get to Chicago minus two people._

_Chicago, Illinois – That Same Moment..._

Alaric Saltzman was waiting patiently outside the safe house, looking toward the street every few minutes for Elisabetta's car. The last time he had spoken to her was when he called her at the summer estate, telling that they needed to resort to Plan B.

Before long, he saw the car in question pulling up. Relieved as anything, Alaric went to greet them and was puzzled when he saw Elisabetta and Stefan stepping out.

"Where are Damon and Elena? I thought they were with you?"

"Change of plans, Ric," said Stefan. "Elena told us that it was best if we split up."

Alaric ran a hand through his hair. "Shit. Do you have any idea what this means?"

"It means that they're safe," said Elisabetta. "I know that you think it's a bad idea, but when you think about it, it's really a good idea. I knew that Elena would decide this eventually. Given how strongly she feels about Damon, she would do just about anything to make sure that not only he's protected, but we didn't get into trouble."

"I suppose so," said Alaric. "There is still the matter of your husband and Klaus finding out about this. They're not stupid, Elisabetta. Sooner or later, they'll find out that Damon and Elena went somewhere else."

"I've already taken care of that," said Elisabetta. "I created passports for them with fake names on them. Guiseppe and Klaus aren't looking for Danny and Eleanore Sallinger, so they'll be perfectly safe."

Alaric shook his head. "You're definitely a clever woman."

"A mother knows what's best for her son," said Elisabetta. "She also knows the matters of the heart."

Alaric said nothing to that, just nodded. While he admired the cleverness behind it all, part of him couldn't help but wonder just how long the ruse would last.

_Salvatore Summer Estate..._

Guiseppe pulled up at the summer estate, having just gotten word from one of his associates that this was the last place that Elisabetta had been. A smirk crept across his face, thinking that he had caught up to her finally. Klaus stepped out of the car, admiring the property.

"Impressive place for a hideout."

"Yes," the elder Salvatore replied, getting out on his side. "We used to come here when the boys were younger. Even though we haven't been here in a while, the staff keeps it maintained. My wife must really hold this place dear if she chose it to hide in." He nodded to Klaus. "Remember, leave Elisabetta to me. You can have Damon."

Klaus nodded back and patted the holster that contained the taser gun. The two men made their way up the walkway to the front door. Guiseppe found the key that was hidden under the mat and they walked into the house.

Upon entry, they made a thorough search of every room and to their disappointment, they were all empty, as though no one had been there at all.

Guiseppe growled, not too happy about the outcome. "Damn it, they're gone! That bitch probably knew we were coming and left."

"Someone must've warned her."

"And I think I know who," said Guiseppe. "My wife has a lawyer who has been helping her for the past three years named Alaric Saltzman. He probably called her and told her that we'd be coming." He looked at Klaus. "Come on, we've got a long drive ahead of us. With any luck, they've gone to Chicago."

_**Note: Hope this was worth the wait for you guys! Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon and Elena cross the border into Canada, Elisabetta and Stefan meet with Alaric in Chicago, and Guiseppe and Klaus arrive at the summer estate, only to find it empty.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome! No spoilers, except I've got something planned that will up the ante a bit.**_

_**LET THE MADNESS CONTINUE!**_

_Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada..._

Damon and Elena held hands as they walked into a house they had seen while driving along a Vancouver suburb. There was a sign that read: **"FOR SALE" **in big, bold letters on the front lawn and upon seeing it, the young couple couldn't pass up the opportunity to jump on it before anyone else got a hold of it. After all, "Danny Sallinger" and "Eleanor Sallinger" needed a place that was suitable for them.

No sooner did they walk in than they were greeted by a young woman, the realtor by the looks of things, in a burgundy suit dress and white shell, smiling at them as she approached them. Apparently, she had seen them as valuable clients that would buy the house.

"May I help you?"

Elena returned the woman's smile. "I think so. I'm Eleanor Sallinger, and this is my new husband, Danny. We just got married and we're looking for our first home. My parents offered to let us live with them until we found a place, but I declined. Don't get me wrong, I love my parents dearly, but I'm afraid that after a while, we'd just get on each other's nerves."

"Well, I think I have just the house for you," said the realtor. "This house has been on the market for quite a while and I think it'll be perfect for a pair of newlyweds like you and your husband."

Damon looked around, liking what he saw. "I think I'm inclined to agree with you. We definitely like it." He noticed all the furniture. "Did this furniture belong to the previous owners?"

The realtor shook her head. "Yes, but they opted not to take it with them when they moved. They only took what was valuable to them, like photo albums, and left the furniture, saying that they'd buy all new furniture at their new house."

"Sounds just fine with us," said Elena. "We'll gladly take it as is."

"Just like that?" said the realtor. "I didn't even give you a price for it yet."

"Money is no object, really," said Damon. "Whatever my darling wife wants, she shall get. I promised her that she'd never want for anything and, damn it, I'm _keeping _that promise."

Elena smiled at Damon's words. She had to admit, he was playing a good part and the realtor was hanging onto to his every word. There was no doubt in her mind that as soon as this whole ordeal they were facing was over, she'd agree to marry him for real. Marrying Damon would be a dream come true for her, and it would also be a new beginning for them both.

It wasn't long until all the paperwork and everything was completed and the second the realtor left, Elena wrapped her arms around Damon's neck, kissing him passionately and reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. Damon returned her kiss without hesitation, moaning against her mouth as their tongues collided.

After a few minutes, she stepped back, breaking the kiss and looking lovingly into Damon's blue eyes with her brown ones. "I love you, Damon. It doesn't matter where we go, as long as it's with you."

Damon smiled. "I love you too, _amore mia_. I'd follow you to the ends of the earth and back." His eyes got a mischievous gleam in them. "Say, why we don't go upstairs and test out the master bedroom?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," said Elena. "I think we deserved a little play time."

Damon smiled again and kissed her, picking her up bridal style and carried her upstairs to the master bedroom, kicking the door shut with his foot. Once he set her down, Elena kissed him roughly as he pushed up against the wall, running his hands up and down her body. Damon then moved away from her lips to kiss her neck as he undid the buttons on her blouse, peeling it off as soon as the last button was opened, and throwing it onto the floor. Elena then pulled his T-shirt up over his head, caressing his bare chest with her hands.

Groaning happily at what she was doing to him, Damon then lifted her up and carried her over to the bed, laying her down and removing her bra with his teeth, leaving the clasps miraculously intact, before leaving a soft, feathery trail of kisses down her body to her belly, where he undid the button and zipper of her jeans, pulling them and her panties slowly down her legs, feeling her tremble as he caressed her thighs. Elena arched her back and let out a pleasurable scream. Shit, the things this man could do to her body spoke volumes, one of many things she loved about him.

At the sound of her scream, Damon felt himself getting hard, almost to the point of pure agony. He wanted to be inside her, and he was sure that she was just as eager. Kissing her inner thigh, he pulled back to remove his pants and boxers before gliding his throbbing cock into her tight, wet core, groaning as he proceeded to thrust, grasping onto her hips with his hands. Elena gyrated in time with his thrusts, keeping in perfect sync with him. When she felt herself getting close to the edge, she let out another pleasurable scream, Damon following suit half a beat later, and at that moment, the world seemed to melt away and it was just them. No worrying about Guiseppe and Klaus coming after them, no threat to their love, nothing.

_Chicago – That Same Moment..._

Elisabetta and Stefan were in the kitchen of the safe house, chatting with Alaric and having tea. However, their peace was interrupted when they heard a car pulling up to the house. Not sure who this was, Alaric went to the window and peeked out.

"Ric, what is it?" said Elisabetta. "Who's out there?"

"Guiseppe and Klaus," he replied. "They've found us."

Elisabetta got up from her chair. "But, how? We left them way behind us."

"It's like you said, Guiseppe has associates," said Alaric. "No doubt that's how he knew where to look. Plus, they have no idea that Elena took Damon with her to Canada."

"I won't tell them a thing, not even if they threaten to kill me," said Elisabetta. "I wouldn't dare betray Damon and Elena."

No sooner did she finish speaking than a knock came at the door. Alaric fingered the gun in his holster as he walked toward the door. There was no way in hell he was going to let his clients come to any harm. Carefully, he used his other hand to open the door.

"Guiseppe. Klaus," he said. "What brings you two here?"

"Dispense with the bullshit, Saltzman," said Guiseppe. "According to my associates, this was the place Elisabetta was headed. I know she has Damon stashed somewhere in that house and if she surrenders him to me willingly, I..."

Elisabetta appeared at the door, gently pushing Alaric aside. "Guiseppe, I don't know what you think you're accomplishing by doing this, but I tell you that I won't allow you to take Damon back to that hell hole you threw him into. He's not crazy, he just had a black out that he had no control over."

Guiseppe would hear none of it and before anything else could be said, he forced his way in, Klaus following behind him. Alaric growled at this and pulled out his gun, aiming it at the two men.

"This is as far as you two go, gentlemen," he said. "I suggest you leave before I call the police or shoot you like the dogs that you are."

Guiseppe grinned at him, pulling out his own gun. "You were saying, Saltzman? Now, where is my wife hiding Damon?" Not giving Alaric a chance to reply, he then aimed the gun toward Elisabetta. "Tell me or I'll shoot her."

Stefan saw this from where he was standing. Biting his lip, he wondered what the hell he was going to do. He knew that Damon would want him to protect their mother at all costs. Ignoring his pounding heart, he ran out of the kitchen and lunged at Guiseppe, knocking him to the floor and trying to wrestle the gun out his hand. Klaus, Alaric, and Elisabetta watched as they fought, Elisabetta hoping that Stefan could take the gun out of his father's hand.

However, during the struggle, Guiseppe kicked Stefan off him and just as Stefan lunged at him again, he fired the gun and shot the boy in his chest, getting to his feet soon after the deed was done, looking at Elisabetta and Alaric with a sinister grin.

Elisabetta saw her son on the floor, his blood starting to pool around him as he tried to stay alive. "STEFAN!" She then looked at her husband, growling at him and saying, "_Figilo di pattana! Bastardo! Serpente! Stupida! Assassinato!_"*****

Klaus listened to what Elisabetta said and looked at Guiseppe. "Was that really necessary? For God's sake, you shot your own son in cold blood! I may have agreed to work with you, but as a new father, I think what you've done here was sick and uncalled for!" He turned and headed toward the door, taking out his taser gun and then sliding it across the floor to Guiseppe. "As of now, our partnership is over. I am going home to Caroline and my son, because they need me more a hell of a lot more than you do."

Not giving the other man a chance to reply, Klaus walked out and hailed a cab to take him to O'Hare so that he could catch a red eye back to Virginia. Guiseppe picked up the discarded taser gun and, without a word to either of them, took out his cell phone and left. Once he was gone, Elisabetta rushed over to Stefan, cradling him in her arms.

Looking into his mother's eyes, Stefan said, "Mom, I...I'm sorry. I...I only did what I did to protect you."

"You don't have to apologize, baby," said Elisabetta, tears stinging her eyes and falling down her cheeks as she spoke. "You were very brave, and I'm proud of you."

Stefan smiled weakly and coughed as he began to taste the bitter, iron taste of his blood flooding his mouth. "T...Tell Damon I love him and that I..."

That was all he could get out before his final breath took him. Elisabetta sobbed as she held his body close to her, not giving a shit if his blood was getting on her clothes.

_**Note: Better late than never, huh? Thought I'd up the ante a bit, as I mentioned earlier. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_

***Translation for what Elisabetta was saying to Guiseppe in Italian = "Son of a bitch! Bastard! Snake! Asshole! Murderer!"**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon and Elena buy a house in Canada. Back in Chicago, a confrontation with Guiseppe and Klaus turns deadly as Stefan sacrifices himself to save his mother.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Damon and Elena's House, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Shortly after Stefan's Sacrifice..._

Damon smiled as he watched Elena sleeping next to him, slowly brushing her cheek with his finger. He had never been more in love with her than he was right now. He owed his life and freedom to her and if it took the rest of their lives, he would thank her every day for what she had done for him.

He was still watching her when he heard what sounded like a phone ringing. Slowly getting out of bed so as not disturb Elena, Damon got his boxers on and searched through the discarded clothing on the floor until he found Elena's cell phone. Looking at the ID, he saw his mother's number. That was weird, why was she calling now? His curiosity getting the better of him, he pressed "Send" and put the phone by his ear.

"Mom?"

Elisabetta was frantic on the other end. "Oh, Damon, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't expect him to just show up like that. I thought everything was going according to plan and..."

"Whoa, whoa, Mom, calm down," said Damon. "You're hysterical. What's the matter? Is everything okay in Chicago? Are you okay?"

"Alaric and I are fine," said Elisabetta. "Your brother, however, wasn't so lucky."

"Stefan?" said Damon. "What happened to him?"

"Your father shot him."

"Dad shot Stefan?" said Damon. "Well, is he going to be okay?"

Elisabetta sobbed before she said, "He's dead, Damon. Stefan's dead."

Hearing what Elisabetta said shocked Damon to core. He knew that his father was a cruel, sadistic bastard, but he never imagined that he was that cruel as to kill his youngest son like that. His body shaking, Damon fell to his knees on the floor.

"Where...Where is Stefan now, Mom?"

"Alaric called 911 and had an ambulance come," said Elisabetta. "He's at Cook County Hospital. Oh God, it was such a nightmare here and I don't know how I'm going to get through making the funeral arrangements. This is not fair, a parent shouldn't have to bury her child." Before Damon could respond, she added, "I know you want to come to the funeral, but I think it'll be best if you stayed where you are. Your father is looking for you and I can't risk you being caught."

"Mom, I want to be there," said Damon. "I don't give a shit about the risks. This is my _brother_ we're talking about here."

"He did what he had to do to protect us," said Elisabetta. "In any event, don't come here. Stay with Elena where it's safe. I love you, my angel boy, and hopefully, I'll see you soon."

Damon said nothing more, just hung up the phone, dropping it to the floor. He then felt his eyes welling up with tears and, instead of fighting it, he let them fall, after which he let out an agonizing, gut-wrenching scream, grasping at his hair with his hands. Elena woke up to the sound of his screaming and when she saw him on his knees on the floor, clutching his hair and his face drenched with tears, she got out of bed, threw Damon's T-shirt on, and went over to him, kneeling next to him.

"Damon, what is it? I heard you scream."

Sobbing, he looked at her. "Mom called. On your phone. She...She said my father showed up in Chicago."

"Oh my God," said Elena. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"She's okay, and so is Alaric," said Damon. "But, Stefan, he...he's dead. Elena, that bastard killed him. He killed my brother." He removed one of his hands from his hair and banged it on floor, ignoring the pain he was feeling. "Bad enough he has me locked away in some hell hole for three years, but now, he's gone and shot Stefan in cold blood!"

Elena carefully removed his other hand and held it as she touched his face with her free hand. "Damon, look at me." She gently pulled his face toward her when he didn't do it himself. "Look at me. We'll get through this. I know that it seems hopeless now, but we'll survive. We always survive." _God, I hope I'm right, _her thoughts added.

Damon said nothing at first, just looked at her as she spoke. Finally, he said, "I hate him, Elena. I hate my father for what he's done."

"I know you do. Believe me, I hate him just as much."

Again, Damon was silent as Elena spoke. He was grateful that she was here with him, especially at a time like this. If he had been here alone, chances are he would've gone hysterical and started destroying things. Or worse, he would've tried to kill himself.

"Hold me, Elena."

Elena nodded. "Okay."

She then took him into her arms and hugged him, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair, which was a mess by now from having his hands clutching onto it. She felt him tremble against her and her heart went out to him. No one should ever be subjected to this kind of pain. Elena kissed his forehead and gently rocked him back and forth.

Then, from out of nowhere, she started to sing:

"_Chimney falls and lovers blaze  
Thought that I was young  
Now I've freezing hands and bloodless veins  
As numb as I've become_

I'm so tired  
I wish I was the moon tonight

Last night I dreamt I had forgotten my name  
'Cause I had sold my soul but awoke just the same  
I'm so lonely  
I wish I was the moon tonight

God blessed me, I'm a free man  
With no place free to go  
I'm paralyzed and collared-tight  
No pills for what I fear

This is crazy  
I wish I was the moon tonight

Chimney falls and lovers blaze  
Thought that I was young  
Now I've freezing hands & bloodless veins  
As numb as I've become

I'm so tired,  
I wish I was the moon tonight

How will you know if you found me at last  
'Cause I'll be the one, be the one, be the one  
With my heart in my lap  
I'm so tired, I'm so tired  
And I wish I was the moon tonight

I'm so tired, I'm so tired,  
And I wish I was the moon  
I'm so tired, I'm so tired,  
And I wish I was the moon tonight"

Damon listened to her sing and smiled through his tears. He found him falling more and more with Elena in that moment. Then, sighing heavily, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

_**Note: Yeah, thought I'd have Elena sing to Damon to soothe him after learning of Stefan's death. I don't own the song, "I Wish I Was the Moon." It was borrowed for the sake of the story, and I thought it was appropriate for what's going on. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story belongs to me.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon learns of Stefan's sacrifice and Elena comforts him.**_

_**Thank you for all your great reviews so far! You guys are the best! Okay, I'm going to update this bad boy because it's been a while since I last updated (the last time being February 19). Anyway, let's get this started, shall we?**_

_**ON WITH THE MADNESS!**_

_Damon & Elena's House, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – That Evening..._

Damon stood by the kitchen window, looking out at the trees in the front yard. It was now early in the evening and he had spent part of the day recovering from the shock he received from his mother. Even though he was calmer now thanks to Elena, something was bothering him. Why hadn't Alaric called the police after Stefan was killed? More importantly, why hadn't he called the police when Guiseppe showed up at the safe house, which would've prevented the whole thing from happening? And where was Klaus in the whole thing? Last time he checked, Guiseppe and Klaus were working together.

Elena noticed how quiet he was and couldn't help but be concerned. While her lullaby had succeeded in calming him, she had no idea just what was going on in his head. _How ironic is this? I'm a psychiatrist and I can't tell what he's thinking,_ she thought. _Still, it would help if he talked to me. He's been quiet all day and I tried to give him his space because I figured he needed some time to himself. Now, I'm starting to worry about him._

"Damon?"

No answer. That's weird, normally he would acknowledge her when she spoke to him. For him to just ignore her like this was troubling.

"Damon, talk to me," she said, approaching him. "I know that this is hard for you in light of what happened to Stefan, but please, don't shut me out. I love you, Damon, and I want to help you."

It was here that Damon finally looked at her and Elena didn't like what she was seeing. His blue eyes were greyish, like they were when she saw him in Isolation. He also looked pale, like the life had been sucked out of him and there was only a shell. She was about to say something when Damon spoke, startling her slightly.

"I can't let him get away with this. He's hurt me for the last time."

"Damon, what are you saying?"

"My father, he has to pay for what he did," said Damon. "Stefan was shot in cold blood and nobody did a _thing_ to stop him."

"Damon, no," said Elena. "Your mother told you to stay here where it's safe."

"Oh, sure, that's a _great_ idea," said Damon, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let's stay here in our little dream world and pretend like my brother didn't just get murdered by the man whose main goal in life is making me suffer in a hell hole he had me sent to because he was afraid that I'd lose control again."

"Damon, please, don't be that way."

"I'll be whatever the hell I want, Elena," said Damon. "My father doesn't deserve to live after what he's done. I'm going to hunt him down and when I find him, I'm going to kill him." He saw the look of shock on Elena's face. "Yeah, you heard me, I'm going to avenge Stefan and I don't give a shit if I get twenty-five years to life for it either. Stefan wasn't just my brother, he was my best friend."

At first, Elena didn't know what to say to that. While it was good that he was talking to her, the subject matter was a bit unsettling. He was talking about hunting Guiseppe down and killing him to avenge his brother. However, she felt herself empathizing with him. She had a brother as well, named Jeremy, and if anything ever happened to him, she'd feel the same way Damon was feeling right now.

Finally, she said, "If you're going to do this, I'm coming with you."

Damon blinked at her. "What? Elena, this is _my_ fight, not _yours_."

"Maybe not, but it _became_ my fight the minute I stepped into this relationship," said Elena. "I too have a brother and I'd feel the same way you're feeling if anything ever happened to him. Believe me, Damon, we're in this together. Either I go with you, or you don't go at all."

Damon sighed, knowing that she'd be stubborn and insist on coming with him. Then again, her stubbornness was one of the many things he loved about her.

"All right, you can come with me," he said. "But, promise me that you'll be careful. You don't know what my father is capable of."

"Doesn't mean I won't fight him with you," said Elena. "But, I'll be careful, for your sake."

Damon smiled and the color seemed to return. While he still intended on making Guiseppe pay for what he had done, having Elena with him would make things better, since she was the only one besides his mother that had the ability to understand him.

Then, as though reading his mind, Elena said, "We can't go in there blindly. We'll need some plan of attack. Also, we'll have to keep our aliases. Your father is looking for Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore, not Danny and Eleanor Sallinger, so it'll be better for us to use our aliases."

"Good idea," said Damon. "He won't be expecting that. Also, we'll need weapons."

Elena nodded. "Any particular kind?"

"Nothing too fancy, just something will guarantee an easy kill," said Damon. "Maybe a Glock 9mm, or even a Smith and Wesson .38 special. Either one of those should do nicely for what we're setting out to do."

Again, Elena nodded and then felt a tingle going through her body. "I've got this weird feeling all of a sudden, weird and kind of naughty at the same time. I've never really done anything like this before. And yet, somehow, it feels good."

Damon smiled and approached her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her. "You're helping your boyfriend. That's why it feels good."

Elena returned his kiss, nibbling on his bottom lip. "I guess so. You know I'd do anything for you, Damon, even if it means breaking the law."

_**Note: Here you go, Chapter 16! Hope you like it. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena offers to help Damon after he tells her that he plans to avenge Stefan's death.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews! You guys are awesome! Since it's been a while since I updated (the last time being March 13), I think I'll treat you guys to an update!**_

_**LET THE INSANITY CONTINUE!**_

_Alberta, British Columbia, Canada – Early Next Morning..._

Damon stole concerned glances at Elena as they exited the house. While he was grateful that she was helping him, he also didn't want his father to see her as a target, like Stefan. He shook his head as he tried not to picture what would happen if his father did find out who they really were. Elena noticed how he was acting when they climbed into the car and were driving away from the house.

"Damon, are you okay?"

Damon looked at her. "I'm fine."

Elena raised an eyebrow, not believing what he was saying. "Come on, Damon, you know that you can tell me what's bothering you. You're definitely worried about something and I want to know what it is so that I can help you."

"All right, I suppose I can't hide it from you," said Damon. "To be honest, I can't help but think that my father might not be as easily fooled as I previously thought." He sighed. "Elena, I don't want you getting involved."

"Oh no, you're not going to make me stay out of it," said Elena. "I'm already involved and I don't give a shit what happens from here. _You're_ the only thing that matters. I never told you this, but when I was a teenager, I was in juvie for robbing a bar and during the stint I served there, I got into a fight with this bitch and cut her face."

Damon's blue eyes widened at this. "You were in juvie?"

"Hell yeah," said Elena. "I was a troubled kid when I was younger. The Gilberts aren't even my real family. They adopted me when I was a baby and raised me as their daughter. Of course, all the love they gave me didn't stop me from robbing that bar."

Damon blinked. "Shit, I had no idea. Elena, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it would've mattered," said Elena. "Would you still love me if I did tell you?"

"Of course I would," said Damon. "Elena, you could've been a serial killer like Charles Starkweather and I'd still love you."

"There you are then," said Elena. "So, don't think I can't hold my own because I can. Your father is nothing to me. Let him do his worst, I can take him." She gently placed her hand on top of his. "Damon, I'm more than capable of using a gun. What do you think I used to rob that bar, a pea shooter?"

"It's just that I never expected to hear that you were like that growing up," said Damon. "I always thought that my life was screwed up, but now that I see that yours was just as screwed up as mine, maybe even _more_ screwed up." He smiled. "But, like I said, I'd still love you if you told me about your past earlier. If anything, I think this makes me love you even more."

Elena returned his smile. "Thank you, Damon." She kissed his cheek. "So, do you still think I should stay out of it, or do you still want me in your corner?"

"After hearing about your stint in juvie, you bet your hot ass that I want you in my corner."

"Good," said Elena. "When we get through with him, Guiseppe Salvatore is going to wish he never locked you in that hell hole I saved you from. In fact, he'd probably want to admit _himself _into that place."

Damon smiled again. In all honesty, he probably couldn't have loved Elena any more than he did right now. Any normal person would've cringed when they found out about her criminal past, but not him, he accepted Elena for who she was, and it didn't matter to him one way or the other if she had served time for robbing a bar or that she had gotten into a fight during her stint in juvie. The thing that mattered was how he felt about her.

_Mikaelson Mansion, Mystic Falls, Virginia – That Same Moment..._

Klaus walked into the mansion and placed his keys on the table by the door. He had just driven for seemed like days to get home after leaving Guiseppe in Chicago. He had just seen an innocent boy get killed, and all because he was protecting his mother. Now that he was home, all he wanted to do was latch on to Caroline and never let go.

No sooner did he walk in than the light came, almost blinding him because his eyes weren't used to it after being in the dark. When his eyes finally did adjust, he saw Caroline coming toward him, cradling little Liam in her arms.

"Klaus, thank God, I was worried about you. Where have you..."

She never got to finish her sentence because Klaus pulled her toward him and kissed her. Caroline returned his kiss after a few minutes, moaning softly against his mouth. A few more minutes passed before they broke the kiss, blue eyes meeting greenish blue, and it was quiet until Klaus decided to speak first.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you, love." He gently took Liam from her. "It's especially good to see our little man."

Caroline raised an eyebrow at her husband. "Klaus, what happened? I tried to call you several times, but I kept getting your voice mail. I'm not going to be satisfied until I know just why you weren't here. I had to call Elijah and have him pick me up from the hospital."

"I won't lie to you, Caroline, I've literally been to hell and back," he replied. "Remember that phone call I had to take? It was about one of the patients at the facility named Damon Salvatore. He escaped two, three days ago, and we first went to the family's summer estate, having heard that he had gone there. When we didn't find him, we went to Chicago."

"Let me guess, he wasn't there either?"

"No, but the rest of the family was," said Klaus. "It was while I was there that I witnessed a murder. An innocent boy got killed by his father, whom I was with when it happened, mind you. I decided then and there that I wasn't going to have anything to do with the pursuit anymore, because you and our son needed me a hell of a lot more than Guiseppe Salvatore did."

Caroline bit her lip as she listened to her husband's story. Shit, no wonder he said he had been to hell and back. Of course, she couldn't really blame him. If she had witnessed a murder, she wouldn't want to have anything to do with it either. However, she decided not to dwell on it. Her husband was home now and that was all she cared about.

_**Note: Thought I'd slip in a Klaroline scene in here, since I haven't included one since Chapter 10. Hope you guys enjoy that, as well as the twist I put in about Elena's past (I made a brief mention of it in Chapter 1, but I never elaborated). Anyway, stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon learns something about Elena's past and Klaus returns to Caroline and their son.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews, guys! No spoilers, just follow along!**_

_Chicago, Illinois – That Evening..._

It was just about 7:00 in the evening when Damon and Elena arrived in Chicago. They knew that they were supposed to stay in Canada due to the danger that was brewing, but Damon wanted to both pay his respects to Stefan and avenge his death, not only out of love for his brother, but also because he owed him big time for helping him escape the hell hole that was the Mystic Falls Psychiatric Hospital. Elena looked at Damon as he drove toward the safe house, seeing the determined look in his eyes. In that moment, she couldn't help but fall more and more in love with him and although she had been reluctant in the beginning, she considered taking the job at the facility to be the best thing that ever happened to her, because it brought her to Damon, the man she would gladly give her life to save.

She kept her eyes on him as she gently took his hand and squeezed it. _Please, God, let us come out of this in one piece,_ she thought. _I love Damon with all my heart and I'd do anything to make sure that he's finally free from all this bullshit._

"Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"I just want you to know that I'm proud of you," she replied. "You're willing to risk everything to avenge Stefan's death and destroy your father once and for all. He's caused you so much grief and misery and I know that if I was in your situation, I'd probably do the same thing you're doing right now."

Damon forced a smile. "Thank you, Elena." His smile faded. "I just hope Mom isn't too pissed at us."

"Don't worry about it," said Elena. "I'll take the heat for you."

Damon said nothing to that, just nodded and kept driving, telling himself to focus on the mission they were on. After all, that was one of the reasons they left Canada in the first place.

_Safe House – Later on..._

By the time they reached the safe house, it was just about 8:00. Upon arrival, they parked in front of the house and walked up the front steps, hand in hand. Taking a deep breath, Elena knocked on the door, stepping back to wait for either Elisabetta or Alaric to answer. She didn't have to wait too long, because Elisabetta answered the door.

"Damon? Elena?"

Elena nodded. "I know that you said to stay in Canada, but Damon wanted to be here. He wants to avenge Stefan's death." She ignored her pounding heart as she added, "And I told him that I'd help him. Elisabetta, don't be angry. We don't like what happened here any more than you do and..."

"I'm not angry," said Elisabetta. "If anything, I'm surprised. But, then again, I'm not so surprised. I had a feeling that you'd come here anyway." She sighed. "Come on in. I've just put water on for tea."

Elena nodded and, letting go of Damon's hand, walked into the house. Damon followed suit half a beat later, hugging his mother the minute he was inside. Elisabetta returned her son's hug, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. Once they finished hugging, they went toward the kitchen, where there was indeed a pot on for tea. After a few minutes, the tea was ready and Elisabetta poured each of them a cup.

It was quiet for a while until Elena said, "How are you holding up?"

Elisabetta ran a hand through her hair. "It still hurts, but I'm hanging in there. Thank God Alaric is here with me. Otherwise, I probably would've been taken to a psychiatric hospital because I'd have a nervous breakdown, possibly worse than the one Damon had three years ago." She sighed. "There's just so much shit that goes into a funeral. I mean, the sorrow is bad enough without having to think about the cost if everything."

"What about the money you stole from Dad's safe?" said Damon. "Maybe that will pay for it."

Elena looked at Elisabetta in amazement. "You stole money from your husband?"

"Yes, about a month after Damon was committed," said Elisabetta. "I wanted to free him, so I went to my husband's study, found the safe, used the combination that I had written down, and when it opened, I saw about $500,000 in there, which I took and put it safely in an envelope, which I promptly hid in my purse. Guiseppe doesn't know that I took it, thank God, but that doesn't mean that I should drop my guard."

"Do you still have it?"

"Of course," said Elisabetta. "I wouldn't dare return it to Guiseppe. Chances are he'd have me arrested for it."

"Still, stealing from your husband, that must've taken guts," said Elena. "Thank God he did know about it, otherwise you'd _really_ be in deep shit."

Alaric walked in at that moment. "I was _wondering_ who Elisabetta was talking to out here."

Elisabetta smiled at the lawyer. "I can't believe you thought I was hearing things, Ric. Shame on you." She presented Damon and Elena. "This is Damon and Elena."

Alaric nodded. "I was a bit worried when I heard that you two had gone to Canada. Though, I guess I can't really blame you. I probably would've done the same if I thought it wasn't going to be safe."

Damon nodded as well and said, "When's the funeral?"

"The day after tomorrow," said Alaric. "I have a feeling that Guiseppe is going to want to attend." He saw the curious looks from Damon and Elena. "Yes, he's here in Chicago, staying at some hotel in the city and planning his next move."

Damon took out the gun he was carrying. "I sure hope the bastard has his life insurance paid up, because I'm going to take his life."

_**Note: Here you go, an update! Stay tuned!**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon and Elena arrive in Chicago, where they meet up with Elisabetta and Alaric.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews, guys! Just got an idea for this chapter earlier today and wanted to share it. No spoilers, you'll just have to read and see what I've got planned.**_

_And the preacher said he was a good man**  
**And his brother said he was a good friend**  
**But the women in the two black veils didn't bother to cry**  
**Bye, Bye Bye, Bye**  
**Yeah they took turns laying a rose down**  
**Threw a handful of dirt into the deep ground**  
**He's not the only one who had a secret to hide**  
**Bye bye, bye bye, bye Bye_

_Ridgelawn Cemetery – 2 Days Later..._

The day of Stefan's funeral was rainy and cold, and there was no mistaking the sorrow that was in the atmosphere as the small group of mourners gathered by the grave site. Fortunately, Alaric had managed to get a decent stone so that people would know who was buried there, even if he was a stranger to the citizens of Chicago.

Among the mourners were Damon and Elena, who hid their identities with the shades that Alaric had provided for them, knowing that Guiseppe would be attending the funeral. They even made sure that they were armed, their guns concealed under their jackets, and even had ankle guns in case they needed to use them. After all, they wanted to be prepared to face the bastard and make sure that he paid most dearly for killing Stefan, whose only crime was protecting his mother and keeping his brother's whereabouts a secret.

During the service, the priest then asked if anyone would like to say a few words. Elisabetta promptly offered to say something. As she went up to the casket, she remembered the strategy that they discussed the night before:

"_When the priest asks if anyone wishes to say something about Stefan, Elisabetta should go up," said Alaric. "That way, should Guiseppe show up, it'll give Damon time to prepare for the showdown."_

_Elena nodded. "Good idea. It'll also help prevent our cover from being blown. We want Guiseppe to think that we're Danny and Eleanor Sallinger. At least, until the moment of truth arrives."_

_Damon nodded as well and looked at his mother. "It's an awfully big task that you've been given, Mom. Do you think you can handle it?"_

"_I've never backed down from a challenge, Damon," she replied. "Believe me, I've had three years to prepare for this, and, while your brother didn't have to sacrifice himself the way he did, I'll see to it that his sacrifice wasn't made in vain."_

When she stopped in front of the casket, Elisabetta took one last longing look at his youngest son's remains, already missing him and wishing he could pop out of the casket. However, that wasn't going to happen, as much as she wanted it to. Sighing, she proceeded to give her eulogy.

"My son, Stefan, was a brave and smart young man," she said. "He was very loving and always tried to do the right thing, even though it wasn't always right. If it wasn't for his noble sacrifice, I probably wouldn't be standing up here in front of you today. I hope that we can all learn a lesson from him." She looked toward the casked again. "I love you, Stefan, and I miss you so much. Even though you're no longer here, I know that your spirit is up there right now, watching over us."

As soon as Elisabetta finished her speech, Elena looked over her shoulder and saw Guiseppe stepping out of a black Lincoln and walking toward the grave site. He was taking the bait, which was better than they could hope for. She faced forward again and whispered to Damon, "Your father just pulled up."

Damon nodded and whispered back, "Good. That means that Alaric was right about him showing up. Now, we'll just wait for the right time to strike. Don't want to reveal ourselves yet. We want him to think that we're Danny and Eleanor Sallinger."

Elena nodded as well. "Right."

No sooner did she say this than Guiseppe walked past them, not knowing that he was about to receive the surprise of his life. He made his way to the front row just as Elisabetta was going back to her seat. Damon fingered the handle of his gun, already imagining the bloody corpse of his father. He could think of no better place to kill him than in a cemetery, where he could just bury the body once he was sure that he was dead.

It wasn't long until the service was over and the casket was being lowered into the ground. Damon and Elena approached Guiseppe after Elisabetta and Alaric had gone off toward the car. So far, everything seemed to be going to plan. All they had to do now was carry it out.

Clearing his throat, Damon said, "Beautiful weather for a funeral, don't you think?"

Guiseppe eyed him curiously. "Do I know you?"

"You mean you don't recognize us?" said Damon. "We're supposed to be friends and you don't remember me? It's me, Danny Sallinger."

Guiseppe, although he still didn't know what was going on, just nodded. "Oh, yes, Sallinger. I think I remember you now. You're that guy I met at the canasta tournament last year. What's going on? Anything exciting happen?"

Damon smiled and presented Elena. "I got married. This is my new wife, Eleanor. Eleanor, this is Guiseppe Salvatore, my canasta partner."

Elena smiled. "It's lovely to finally meet you, Guiseppe. Danny has been telling me about you." Her smile then faded. "My condolences on the loss of your son. You must've been hit really hard by the news when you heard."

She saw Guiseppe nodding, which meant that the ruse was working perfectly. The old bastard still didn't suspect a thing. Damon then looked around to see if they were alone. Thankfully, the priest had just left, along with a few groundskeepers. _Good, no witnesses. We wouldn't want anyone to squeal to the police about this._

Finally, he pulled his gun out of the holster and aimed it at his father. "You're going to answer for what you did..." He pulled his shades down so that Guiseppe could see the fire in his blue eyes. "...Dad."

Elena pulled her gun out as well. "To reiterate Damon's question, beautiful weather for a funeral, don't you think?"

Guiseppe growled. It was a trick? He then broke into a run, causing Damon and Elena to give chase. They pursued the old man through all the twists and turns of the cemetery. During the trek, Guiseppe made his way to a section of the cemetery that contained several different family crypts. He found one that had a loose door and hid inside it so that he could plan his next move. He knew that Damon and Elena would follow him, so he needed to come up with a way to turn the tables on them.

Shortly after Guisppe had hidden in the crypt, Damon and Elena arrived at the crypt section. Elena panted as she looked around and said, "Shit, he could be in any _one_ of these. How the hell are we going to find him?"

Damon bit his lip. "We'll split up. You take one section and I'll take the other." He saw the look on her face. "I know that you don't want to, but we'll cover more ground that way."

Elena reluctantly nodded and, after kissing him for luck, she went off to search her half of the area while Damon searched his half. By this time, the rain was getting heavy and it was becoming difficult to see. Elena took off her shades and placed them in her jacket pocket as she walked. So far, she was coming up with nothing.

_This is going to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, for lack of a better analogy,_ she thought. _I hope Damon is having better luck than I am._

No sooner did she finish that thought than she got pulled into a crypt she was walking past. When she saw that the one who grabbed her was Guiseppe, she went to aim her gun at him, but he took it from her hand and pushed her up against the wall, clamping his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams as he aimed the gun at her head.

"I think I know just how to turn the tables on that son of mine," he growled. "You seem to be someone very important to him, my dear, so you'll make an excellent bargaining chip."

_Meanwhile..._

Unaware of what had happened, Damon was still conducting his search. The rain was getting heavier and heavier by the minute and because it was difficult to see, he removed his shades so that he could focus. However, as he continued to make his way through the maze, he couldn't help but get the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

"Looking for me, boy?"

Hearing his father's voice behind him, Damon turned around and when he aimed his gun, he saw that Guiseppe was holding Elena tight against him, with her stolen gun aimed at her head. Growling, Damon kept the gun aimed at his father.

"Let her go, Dad," he said. "I swear to God, if you don't let her go right now..."

"You'll do what? Kill me?" said Guiseppe, a cruel smirk on his face. "The only way to me is through her. Do you _really_ want her death on your conscience?"

"Don't listen to him, Damon," said Elena. "He's insane!"

Guiseppe didn't look at her as he said, "Shut up, bitch!"

"It's bad enough you killed Stefan, whose only crime was keeping me safe, but I'll be damned if I let you hurt Elena," said Damon. "You can settle whatever score you wish to settle with me, but let her go."

Guiseppe laughed at Damon's words. "Such devotion in your words. From the way you're willing to risk everything for this woman, it seems to me that you're in love with her." He used the barrel of the gun to move some hair from her face. "Though, I can't say I blame you. She is quite a beauty."

Elena, having heard enough of this, stamped on Guiseppe's foot and broke free of his hold, running toward Damon. However, she didn't get very far, because the next thing she felt was something hot going through the right side of her body. She clutched onto it as she fell to her knees and when she removed her hands, she saw that they were covered in blood. Damon saw this and his blue eyes bulged.

"**ELENA!"** He then looked toward Guiseppe. "You son of a bitch! Just for that, you're going straight to hell!"

With that being said, Damon shot the bastard five times until he fell dead. Panting, he tossed his gun to the ground and rushed to Elena's side. She was really bleeding now and he knew that unless he got her to a hospital, he'd lose her.

"Hang in there, angel," he said. "I'm not going to let you die, not here, not today."

Wasting no time, he took off his jacket and wrapped her in it, not giving a shit if it was wet from the rain, and picked her up in his arms, carrying her as fast as his legs would allow. He was getting blood on his hands, but that didn't matter to him. All that mattered was saving Elena.

It wasn't long before he heard someone calling him and saw Alaric coming toward him. He had heard the gun shots being fired and had gone to see what was going on. He then saw Elena in Damon's arms and immediately got concerned.

"What happened to her, Damon?"

"My father, he...he shot her, Ric," the young man replied, a sob in his voice. "We've got to get her to the hospital. I can't lose her, Ric, I can't."

Alaric nodded. "Don't worry, we'll help her. Follow me."

Damon nodded as well and followed Alaric toward the car. He heard Elena moaning and his heart skipped several beats. She was losing quite a bit of blood and he knew that time was of the essence, especially if he wanted to save her. He owed his life and freedom to Elena and if he lost her, he would lose the will to go on.

_**Note: Big update, huh? Don't worry, guys, I have no intention of letting Elena die. This story may be dark, but it's still a love story. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Damon and Elena face off against Guiseppe in the cemetery, during which Elena gets shot.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews, guys! Just got the idea for the next chapter and didn't want to waste time.**_

_Cook County Hospital – After the Confrontation with Guiseppe..._

Damon coughed as he waited in the waiting room with Elisabetta and Alaric. It had been nearly two hours since the fight in the cemetery, and because they were afraid for her life, they hastily brought her to the hospital, even if it was the same hospital Alaric brought Stefan to after he was shot. Elisabetta heard her son coughing and looked over at him, a concerned look on her face.

"Damon? Sweetheart, are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

Elisabetta shook her head. "_Stronzate!_***** Here, let me feel your head."

Damon didn't protest as he saw his mother get up and go over to him, placing his forehead. After a few minutes, she pulled it away, looking at his face. "Alaric, get a nurse. Damon has a fever and he's awfully pale."

Alaric nodded and quickly went to the desk, where a nurse looked up from what she was doing. Before she could say anything, he said, "The young man in the waiting room has a fever and needs help immediately."

The nurse then gestured toward an orderly, who came out with a wheelchair. Damon saw him coming and shook his head. He wanted to be present when they told them about Elena. If he wasn't there, how was he going to get the news?

"Mom, I don't want to be gone when they tell us about Elena."

Elisabetta nodded. "I know, but you're burning up and you need to be seen by a doctor." She stood up and helped him to his feet and leading him to the wheelchair. "How about I tell Alaric to let us know the minute we get word? How's that?"

Damon slowly nodded and let her help him into the wheelchair. As they went to an examination room, Elisabetta said to Alaric, "Come to us the minute you get word about Elena, okay? Damon wants to find out if she'll live through this."

Alaric nodded. "Don't worry, I'll let know the minute I get word. Right now, focus on helping Damon."

Elisabetta nodded as well and followed Damon to the examination room, where they helped him out of the wheelchair and helped onto the table. Damon really didn't look good at all. In fact, he looked like he had gone a few rounds with Mother Nature and lost. As soon as he was put on the table, he reached his hand out for Elisabetta.

"I'm scared, Mommy."

Elisabetta took his hand, which was hot against her skin. "I know you are, baby. I'm scared too. But, we're going to get you better so that you can see Elena, okay?"

Damon nodded, even though his head hurt like hell. He was still holding his mother's hand when a doctor walked in, a young man about Damon's age, with shoulder-length auburn hair and hazel eyes. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Dr. Freeman. What can I do for you this evening?"

"My son is sick," said Elisabetta. "I felt his forehead and it was hot to the touch. I'm holding his hand right now and I can literally feel the heat on my skin."

Dr. Freeman nodded. "Okay. Let me see what I can do." He got out the digital thermometer. "First, I'll check what his temperature is." He stuck the thermometer into Damon's left ear and when he took it out, the result on the screen read: 103.5. "He's definitely got a fever."

"Is there a way you can get it down?"

"I want to suggest using ibuprofen, but it might not reduce it enough," said Dr. Freeman. "To get the fever down, we'll have to give him an ice bath. I know it sounds painful, but it's the best shot we have at lowering his body temperature."

Damon didn't like the sound of that and after the doctor left, he said, "Mommy, don't let them hurt me."

Elisabetta squeezed his hand. "Nobody is going to hurt you, Damon. They're just going to help bring your fever down." She got an idea. "Did you want me to sing to you? Will that make you feel better? How about that song I sang to you when I took you to Dr. Spinelli when you were little and had that ear infection?"

Damon nodded. He remembered the tune quite well. It was an Italian lullaby that Elisabetta had made up that helped to keep him calm while he was being examined. "I'd like that."

Then, as they came in to take him to the tub, Elisabetta began to sing to him, making it possible for them to lead him away without a fight. Of course, it could've been a combination of both the song and the fever, but it didn't matter.

_1 Hour Later..._

Alaric was sitting in the waiting room, getting anxious. It had been more than an hour since Elisabetta had taken Damon to get his fever treated and there was still no word about Elena. Nevertheless, he had a promise to keep and he was going to make sure that nothing would stand in his way of keeping that promise.

It was while he was waiting that Alaric saw a doctor coming toward him, his scrubs covered in blood. He approached him, and Alaric saw that he had news to tell him. "Are you here for Elena Gilbert?"

Alaric nodded. "Yes. I'm Alaric Saltzman, a friend of hers. How is she?"

"I'm not going to lie to you, Mr. Saltzman, she did sustain a lot of blood loss," he replied. "Fortunately, we were able to find a suitable donor that had the same blood type, a patient in the ICU known as Katherine Pierce."

Alaric was shocked, but quickly recovered as he said, "Is she going to live?"

"She survived the surgery to remove the bullet, yes."

"Thank God," said Alaric. "There are those who were worried about her. I promised that the minute I get word." He shook the doctor's hand. "You have no idea how much this will mean to them." Curiously, he added, "Will we be able to see her?"

"They wheeled her into a room a few minutes ago, so I see no reason why you can't," said the doctor. "But, keep it brief. Miss Gilbert has been to hell and back, so she needs her rest."

Alaric nodded and went off to find Elisabetta and Damon. While he was looking, he saw Elisabetta coming out of a room. "Elisabetta, what happened?"

"They had to give Damon an ice bath to get his fever down," she replied. "I won't lie to you, it wasn't easy for me to watch them put him in a tub full of ice, but I was singing in Italian the whole time, so it wasn't so hard." She sighed. "Anyway, they're just checking his temperature now to see if the fever is down."

"I found out about Elena," said Alaric. "She's going to be all right."

"Thank God," said Elisabetta. "Damon will want to see her."

Alaric was about to say something when Damon appeared in the doorway, dressed in a hospital gown. The color had returned to his face, which was a good sign. He had heard about Elena and wanted confirmation.

"Ric, Mom, is it true?" he said. "Is Elena all right?"

Elisabetta looked at her son. "Yes, she is."

"I want to see her," said Damon. "Where did they take her?"

"They took her to her room a few minutes ago," said Alaric. "But, because she's been through an ordeal, she needs her rest, so you have to keep it brief."

However, Damon barely heard him. He didn't give a shit if he was feeling a draft as he all but ran down the hall. When he arrived at the room Elena was in, he saw that she was still out from the anesthesia. He then walked into the room, he sat by her bedside, taking her hand and gently squeezed it. No sooner did he do it than he felt his hand being squeezed back.

"Elena?"

Elena smiled at him. "Hey, you." She saw his hospital gown and scowled. "Why are you wearing that? Are you okay?

"It's a long story and I don't want to tire you out with the details," he replied. "Anyway, the most important thing is that you're here with me." He kissed her knuckles. "I was so scared when that bastard shot you. I thought I was going to lose you."

"Well, you don't have to be scared, Damon," said Elena. "It's going to take more than a bullet to take me down." Curiously, she added, "What happened with your father? Is he..."

"Yes, angel, he's dead," said Damon. "I put five bullets into him after I saw him shoot you. I just...started shooting and then he fell down on the ground." He kissed her knuckles again. "I love you, Elena."

Elena smiled and kissed his cheek and then moved to his lips. "I love you too, Damon."

_**Note: Here you go, an update! Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Insanity in Love," Elena has surgery to remove the bullet and Damon spikes a fever.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews! You guys are awesome!**_

_Cook County Hospital – Next Day..._

Elena groaned as she woke up the next morning. She was hoping that she would wake up in her own bed. However, as she looked around, she saw that she was still in the hospital, which bummed her out a little. She didn't have to be bummed out for long, of course, because she heard a soft groan next to her. Turning over, she saw Damon sleeping next to her, his arms wrapped possessively around her and his head resting comfortably on her chest. He looked so peaceful in that state, almost like a child. Elena smiled and gently kissed his forehead, which felt cool against her lips. This was a good sign, which meant that the fever he had yesterday had finally broken.

No sooner did she kiss his forehead than Damon groaned again and opened his eyes, smiling at her. "Morning."

"Hi," she replied. "Your forehead is cool, which means you don't have a fever anymore."

Damon nodded. "Thank God. Being sick sucks."

"I know, it's not fun," said Elena. "Of course, getting shot is no picnic either." She sighed. "The good thing is that your father is no longer a threat." Curiously, she added, "The thing I don't get is why Klaus wasn't there. I thought they were working together."

"I don't get it either," said Damon. "I kept expecting Klaus to show up as we were chasing my father in the cemetery, but he didn't. Maybe something happened that caused them to stop being allies."

Elena nodded and was about to reply when she heard the door to their room opening and saw Elisabetta and Alaric walking in. She scowled curiously at them, wondering if they had heard their conversation. Elisabetta smiled at them and placed her hand on Damon's forehead, nodding when she felt how cool it was.

"No more fever, that's good," she said. "That ice bath did the trick." She looked at Elena. "I'm also grateful that _you're_ all right, Elena. Damon wouldn't have handled it very well if you died and would probably have been taken to the psych ward."

"Thanks, Mom," said Damon. "I _really_ didn't need to hear that right now."

Before Elisabetta could say another word, Elena said, "Elisabetta, what happened to Klaus? I thought that he and your husband were both after us? Last night, Damon and I only faced _Guiseppe_ and not Klaus. We were hoping to face both of them."

"I think I can answer that," said Alaric. "When Klaus saw Guiseppe shoot Stefan, he decided to quit. I don't remember exactly what was said, but he did mention that his wife and son needed him more than Guiseppe did and walked out."

"He _does_ understand what love is."

Damon's words made Elena look at him. "_Who_ does?"

"Klaus," he replied. "After he put me in Isolation after I came back from seeing you, I wondered if he understood what love was, especially since he was married and, at the time, was going to be a father. So, his decision to quit after he saw Dad shoot Stefan is proof that although he was an asshole to me, he understands what love is."

"I_ knew_ that when Caroline called him when I was in his office," said Elena. "I saw him sweat as she told him that she had gone into labor while shopping that his sister had to take her to the hospital." She sighed. "I just...didn't expect him to have a change of heart like that. Maybe he pictured Caroline and their son in Stefan's place."

"Whatever caused it, I'm glad that we don't have to worry about him coming after us now that his ex-partner is dead."

_Mikaelson Mansion – That Same Moment..._

Caroline smiled at Liam as she picked him up out of his crib, kissing his forehead and then went over to the rocking chair, sitting down and positioning him for his morning feeding. She was becoming adjusted to motherhood and she loved her baby, even though he did wake up at random hours of the night and cry for either her or Klaus. She also loved the fact that she had her devoted and loving husband here with her.

Speaking of her husband, she turned around and saw him standing in the doorway of the nursery, a sexy smirk on his face. Honestly, could he get any more gorgeous than right now? Or could it be the fact that he just got a kick out of watching her nurse?

"Yes, my love?"

"Nothing," he replied. "Can't I look at you?"

"Yes, you can," said Caroline. "I like it when you look at me. But, when you watch me nurse our son, I feel...like I'm exposed."

"Well, you _do_ give him your breast to suck, so there's bound to be _some_ exposure."

Caroline rolled her eyes and then slid one of the straps of her nightie down so that she could give Liam her right breast. "I do it to bond with him. And don't think I don't know that you're secretly jealous of him because he gets to touch my breast, because I do. Yes, he gets to touch it, but it's not in the way _you're_ thinking. He's a baby, and babies need milk, so I chose to breast feed him."

"Jealous? Of my son?" said Klaus. "Oh, Caroline, you wound me. I would never be jealous of my own son. For your information, I watch you nurse because I think it's the most beautiful thing in the world." He carefully approached her and kissed her. "I love you, you know that?"

Caroline returned his kiss, but before she could say anything, Klaus heard his cell phone going off. Damn it, who the hell could _this_ be? Excusing himself from his wife, he went to their bedroom and answered it.

"If this a crank call, you'll be seeing the inside of a cop car."

"Is that any way to speak to your sister?"

Klaus cleared his throat, realizing who this was. It was his adopted sister, Katherine. "Katerina. To what do I owe the honor of this call?"

"Well, I called to tell you that I'm being transferred to Mystic Falls," she replied. "Seems that I need to see a specialist and the hospital here in Chicago has recommended a Dr. Fell, who does the kind of surgery I need to fix my face. I tell you, sometimes, I think everyone in the medical profession is full of shit."

Klaus nodded. Right around the same time the crisis surrounding Damon Salvatore's escape occurred, Katherine had gotten into an accident when some asshole rammed into her car. The other driver died, but she came away from it with a broken arm, several fractured ribs, and shards of glass on her face, landing her in ICU, even though her case wasn't that severe.

"I wouldn't be too hard on the doctors, little sister," said Klaus. "They're just doing their job. If this Dr. Fell is as good as they claim he is..."

"_She_, Nik," said Katherine. "Dr. Fell is a _woman_."

"Okay, my mistake," said Klaus. "If this Dr. Fell is as good as they claim she is, you'll be back to your old self again." _Though, I'm not sure if I can handle that,_ he added in his mind. _I had to put up with her since my parents adopted me when she was three years old. If she's like this now, I'd hate to see her after she has the surgery._

"I hope so," said Katherine. "I want to be able to see my nephew."

"You will, Katerina, you have my word," said Klaus. "Now, you focus on getting better and I'll see you soon."

_**Note: Here we go, a new update. I may do another chapter or two before I end, mostly because I want to have a Delena wedding in here. I also might do a sequel, which has yet to be titled. Until then, stay tuned.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


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